Here are the theater plays of November on the Istanbul stages.
Enlivened by the opening of the theater season after a long hiatus, the stages of Istanbul began to take on a colorful turn with the 26th Istanbul Theater Festival, which started towards the end of last month. From the State Theaters to the plays put on the screen by private theater halls, as the festival says, “theatre is in its place”. While I was writing this news and thinking how nice it is to have the theater in its place with the motto of the festival, I came across a post by the movie critic Müjde Işıl on her social media account: “People don’t just miss people; to protect the humanity and to become a better person, we also miss and must miss art. When you don’t watch movies, don’t read books, don’t go to the theater for a few days, you should feel an emptiness.” It is good that the theater is in its place, because as Işıl said, one should feel a void when not going to the theater. For those who miss the opening of the curtain in crowded halls, it is possible to find a lot of games in the city.
“Richard”, Zorlu PSM
Written and directed by Okan Bayülgen, “Richard” is looking at Shakespeare’s Richard from the first quarter of the new century, he discusses the feelings of being a stranger, being lonely and being wild. Şenay Gürler, Özgün Çoban, Su Sonia Herring and many other names accompany Okan Bayülgen in the play, which was brought to life by Kabare Dada. The play, which will premiere at the 26th Istanbul Theater Festival, will be screened once again at Zorlu PSM Turkcell Stage on November 18, upon popular demand.
“Jekyll & Hyde: A Broadway Musical”, Zorlu PSM
“Jekyll & Hyde: A Broadway Musical”, which brings together Hayko Cepkin and Elçin Sangu, is being staged at Zorlu PSM under the direction of Taner Tunçay. Adapted from Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic thriller, the play premiered on October 23; It is getting ready to meet its audience again at Zorlu PSM on November 6, 15 and 30.
“Şahları da Vururlar”, Ortaoyuncular
Prepared to meet with the audience again after Ferhan Şensoy passed away last year, “Şahları da Vururlar” (They Will Also Kill The Kings) is screened at the Ses Theater under the direction of Volkan Sarıöz. Embellished with Şensoy’s unique humor, “Şahları da Vururlar” tells the story of Ömer Hayyam, who got into trouble with the Iranian Intelligence Agency in 1940s Iran because of his name similarity. You can see the game calendar on Ortaoyuncular website.
“Habanera Makamı”, Ali Poyrazoğlu Theater
Returning to “Carmen” once again with his new project “Habanera Makamı”, which he prepared for the Theater Festival, Ali Poyrazoğlu, who brings theater and opera together, leaves the main streets of the theater and opera and wanders around the back streets, accompanied by jazz tones, based on his memories. Emphasizing the difference that art makes in our lives, “Habanera Makamı” will be at Cemal Reşit Rey on November 7 and at Süreyya Opera on November 19 as part of the Istanbul Theater Festival.
“Iliad”, Süreyya Opera
Rewritten by Alessandro Baricco with a contemporary approach, “Iliad”, which brings his humanity to the forefront, comes to life with the interpretation of master actor Selcuk Yöntem, while pianist Ece Dagıstan Say interprets a selection of Fazıl Say’s own compositions specially compiled for this performance. With this epic narration specially prepared for the festival, Selçuk Yöntem takes the audience back to the middle of the Trojan War 1,500 years ago.
“Deli Bayram”, Das Das
Das Das’s new play “Deli Bayram” is a modern adaptation of Turgut Özakman’s play “Crazies” written in 1987. Supervised by Metin Akpınar, the play winks at the 1980s with a plot in which the “Crazy” characters take over Das Das. The madmen of the game say: “Some build pickles, some build factories / But we are crazy, we dream.”
“Urinetown”, Zorlu PSM
The Tony Award-winning Broadway musical “Urinetownl” will take place at Zorlu PSM Turkcell Platinum Stage throughout the season with its 27-person cast. Musical, at a time when the world is struggling with drought, public access to the toilet is also under the supervision of a private company. Those who do not have money to enter the toilet are sent to Sidikli Town and cannot return. In the cast of the play directed by Kayhan Berkin, names such as Settar Tanrıöğen and Füsun Demirel come together.
“Eve Dönüşler”, Moda Sahnesi
Norwegian playwright Fredrik Brattberg’s “Eve Dönüşler” (The Returnings), in which the rotten side of the family looks with the sharp side of comedy, is brought to the stage under the direction of Kemal Aydoğan. The play tells the story of the parents, who believe that their son Gustav died with his disappearance, and they return to their old lives one day with the return of Gustav. The mother is played by Nalan Kuruçim, the father is played by Caner Cindoruk and the son is played by Alper Şimşek. You can watch “Homecomings” at Moda Stage on 26 – 27 – 28 November.
“Fosforlu Cevriye”, Muhsin Ertuğrul Stage
The Fosforlu Cevriye, which Suat Derviş, one of the leading women writers of Turkey, always wanted to see as a musical, was brought to the screen with the play of Gülriz Sururi. Presenting the Istanbul of the 1930s-40s with rich descriptions, “Fosforlu Cevriye” is one of the new plays staged by the City Theaters this season. The re-enacted play “Like a star falling from the sky in a dark night…” commemorates the memory of the writer Suat Derviş, who left a mark in our hearts.
