‘I want to sleep with you’ play irks Turkish ministry

Racy language used in a play based on life of the German poet and playwright Johann Wolfgang von Goethe has reportedly irked the ministry of culture in Turkey, leading to its delay, a local newspaper reported Wednesday.

Phrases such as “I want to sleep with you” and “I will moan like a rabbit” were deemed “foul and erotic” by the ministry, which asked the Istanbul State Theater to remove all the parts containing such lines, Hurriyet Daily News reported.

The ministry also requested Mustafa Kurt, who is Turkey’s State Theaters director, to postpone the premiere of the play until it is verified that the racy lines were removed.

The demand reportedly prompted Kurt to offer his resignation. But in their defense, the ministry officials claimed that Kurt was likely to be removed due to an ongoing investigation but he resigned to make it seem as if he was “resisting censorship.”

According to the newspaper, the government is pressing on with a draft law that will establish an 11-member board -appointed by the Cabinet – which will dictate which theaters, cinemas, ballet or opera pieces will be funded by the state