It is said that Turkey has lost a lot of time (I think its memory as well) and experienced time jumps (which it colud and will never tolerate.) It is a country that is now experiencing social periods which should have already experienced. It is a situation like my getting stuck to my PC at my present 42's as I had not played enough during my childhood.
Why is playing and watching players is so pleasant? Why do fifty thousand persons watch twentytwo running after the ball? Why does theatre exists? Why do people go to the theatre? Why do people still accumulate at the schools of theatre while it has become so hard to earn one's living out of it? Would it be correct if I say that the theatre is a requirement for its performer to tell, let know and explain ceartain things? For its receiver I think it's a pleasure to witness the painful changing period of an immitator as well as other worlds. Can we say it is a pleasure of watching secretly?
For us the players if theatre is the most favourite because of its power to be able to change man, I think we have to be felt close by the community and be popular so that what we say (in plays) be listened to and the ways we live are taken as examples. (I of course do not mean our interest in liquor, woman and games.)
| If the theatre is the place where we hope to be the most favourite showing how high our physical and spiritual characteristics may reach and how attractive they may be by our creativeness, then a sickness has been diagnosed. It is may be excused to an extent, if it is a transit period which will be used to change men and community one day in future. It should however be kept in mind that it is a long way with so many intersections. It is also possible to realize whwn we look back on the day we becoming popular that we have already been lost or think that our destination was our own goal. | |
Theatre and its performers have lost their preferabilities in today's Turkey as well as world theatre. (I must point out that I do nat enouh information in this respect) The reason transfering to pocket theatres from theatres housing thousands of people is not of course only cleaning and covering the floors. During those times, I mean when the theatre was and existed, collesiums were rising next to amphitheatres. Nowadays while collesiums survive getting bigger and bigger (say football fields) amphitheatres have become ruins where Japanese tourists search around.
Theatre cannot survive if it does not share the same concerns with its performer and the audience. The writer, director and a few players should come together and weave a kilim (rug) that the receiver, that is the audience, will hold at one end. You will understand that it is hard enough if you add types and colours in everybody's mind as well as directing expectations (though sad) of thousands of audience pleasures and understandings which has been sharpened by the media.
My soul stays hungry when I realize the theatre in my mind. I have to play for two rows of audience. (I do not of course mean that all the plays performed for two rows of audience art art pieces which have not got what they deserve) Performances and plays to reattract the audience leaves my soul alone as I find out that I do not share the same feelings and excitements with them anymore. One of my colleagues furies when audience laugh at these wits. I share his thoughts. Please do not laugh such lazy things. Please do critisize us. You get a step higher so that we shall continue to climb. We are tired waiting for you, stopping we are bored and started to act foolish. Let's perform hand in hand in other plays. It cannot be if not carried out together in harmony with wisdom and feeling.
H. Nusret Şenay
State Theatre
Player
Translated by Demet Feyman
