This past year’s recent Istanbul Theater Festival by IKSV explored many topical issues we see on the news almost daily in this stage of human evolution, including the traumas of war, post-imperialism resentment and rebellion, prostitution, and economic and class issues.
The first show I saw was Traptown at Uniq Hall. The mixed media piece was created and performed by the cutting edge Belgian dance company Ultima Vez, comprised of eight dancers. The piece centered around two fictitious societies facing conflict and invasion. As one of these societies assumes authority over the other, resentment erupts into subversion and then calamity befalls both sides. I was particularly struck by the mazes projected onto the backdrop reminiscent of one of my favorite artists MC Escher and while the storyline was difficult to follow, the eight dancers interacted and choreographed their movements in an elegant synchronicity.
The second show I saw was Eugene Onegin at the resplendent Zorlu PSM stage. The play was based on the tragic novel by Alexander Pushkin, often considered the William Shakespeare of Russia. The play used elements of traditional Russian ballet to tell that old story of wealthy St. Petersburg landowner Eugene, who rejects the romantic advances of Tatiana. As he grows more frustrated with her, his rapport with his neighbors deteriorates, causing him to flee the city. The stage reminded me of the palaces I visited in St. Petersburg with its ornate chandeliers and exquisite set backdrops. The dancers were true virtuosos, bringing the passion and skill necessary to meet the rigid demands of the art of dancing.
Next I saw How Do You Like That!, which integrated elements of mythology, poetry, digital media, and music to portray different animal archetypes, such as caterpillars, dogs, butterflies, and turtles. Turkish poetry was projected onto the screen while the subtle, yet powerful dance moves of Talin Büyükkürkciyan brought new life to those archetypes. One woman transitioned through these different archetypes through the medium of interpretative dance. The symbolism of these archetypes was palpable and the sound effects used complemented this symbolism well.
Then I saw For Rent, written by Turkish playwright Özen Yula, a powerful coming of age play about the struggles of male sex workers soliciting tricks in the parks of Istanbul. Talented young budding actors portray five different characters two male prostitutes Adnan and Fırat, and tension stirs as Adnan falls in love with a female student Simay. The play explored the violent and cruel underbelly of Istanbul that us expats rarely experience, but is often everday life for the lower echelons of Istanbul society. If the incessantly complaining priveleged expats among us could watch this play, they would be pushed to count their blessings.
The last show I saw was Incendies (meaning “destruction by fire” in French), by accomplished Lebanese-Canadian playwright Wajdi Mouawad, which explored the trauma of the Lebanese Civil War. Having traveled in Lebanon over the summer and seen the immense progress Lebanon has achieved in relations between Muslims and Christians since the war, the play was of particular interest to me. The play showed the struggles of Nawal an illiterate “singing woman” wandering through the streets of Lebanon looking for her estranged son. The play explored the ways the traumas of war translate into family traumas in the form of flashbacks as Nawal’s twins, Jeanne and Simon, making the journey from Canada to Lebanon to unearth their lugubrious dying mother’s past that leads to their long lost brother and a legacy of misery passed down through the generations of a Lebanese Christian family forced to confront this clandestine sorrows head on.
This year’s theater festival included a bevy of virtuoso actors and dancers, as well as budding talents in playwrighting, directing, set design, choreography, cinematography, and sound effects. As an actor, I can attest that it takes a lot of talent in many different skills to make a great play. It’s great to know such talent still thrives in our incessantly changing home city.
Images courtesy of IKSV. Featured photo by Muammer Yanmaz.
