The NY Times gives the performance 4-stars.

Via Today Zaman:

Men dressed as Ottoman janissaries chased Santa Claus in a street show protesting the celebration of New Year’s Eve in western Turkey, which ended with Santa converting to Islam.

As the show proceeded, Santa was brought to face a qadi, an Islamic judge in the Ottoman era, after he was caught by the janissaries, the Ottoman elite infantry units.

The act, staged by members of the nationalist-Islamic Grand Unity Party (BBP) in the province of Bolu, highlights anti-New Year’s Eve celebrations sentiments in Turkey, where the festivity is widely deemed to be associated with Christianity.

Turkish media have reported education authorities in some districts of Turkey have sent notices to schools banning New Year’s Eve celebrations.

This year’s demonstration comes after a similar one by the BPP last year, in which Ottoman janissaries chased Santa on the streets and then took him before the sultan. The sultan then banished Santa from the city.

This year’s play involved a similar theme; however, Santa faced the qadi this time, not the sultan. Mahmut Alan, a former BBP provincial head who played the qadi, then asked Santa why he was running. Santa answered that they were celebrating the birth of Jesus, wearing red clothes and drinking alcohol. The qadi then summoned two people acting as ordinary men in the crowd and asked if they were pleased with the celebrations. They testified they were, so the qadi let Santa go because he was not forcing anyone to celebrate.

Surprised by the decision, Santa said he heard that the Turks were barbaric. The qadi answered that there was no room for barbarism or violence in Islam. Moved, Santa converted to Islam by reciting the Islamic Shahada, the Muslim profession of faith.