The World of Sleep: Obligatory to Sleep, Lucky to Wake Up!
“Yan Dünya: The World Next Door – A Must Sleep, Destiny to Wake Up”
Franz Kafka says in his book “Aforizmalar” (published by İş Bankası Kültür Yayınları, translated by Osman Çakmakçı), “You can keep yourself away from the pains of the world; it is up to you to be in harmony with what is there, but this distance you maintain may be the only pain you cannot escape.”
Directing your attention to the direct message I want to convey without extending the introduction too much, I would like to introduce you to “Yan Dünya”: a play that takes place hanging in the sky on a round rock/stone and where the only way to escape is to wake up. Meanwhile, don’t overlook the reflection of Kafka’s mixed circumstances, as the chaotic state of transience these days is not very pleasant!
In a night news broadcast, a message is given that our current life will end, and the next morning we will wake up in the world next door, but no one knows who is there, where they are, or if they are alive or not. What would you think or what would be your first action? Our story of “Yan Dünya” revolves around this question!
One of the new plays from Kumbaracı50, written and directed by Gülhan Kadim, “Yan Dünya”… In the play where the stage design is collectively undertaken, the costume design is by Timur Kırışman / The Kulüp Vintag, the music is by Deniz Bayrak and Burçak Çöllü, and the lighting design is by İsmail Sağır; Ayşegül Tekin, Ayşegül Uraz, Meriç Rakalar, Murat Kapu, Volkan Çıkıntoğlu, and Yiğit Sertdemir are the cast.
In a world of great information chaos, where waiting, celebrating, or escape intensify in an atmosphere of chaos, “Yan Dünya” is described as the dark comedy that arises from the uncertainty of what small decisions and actions can lead to. And it adds: “Come and sleep. Sleeping is mandatory, waking up is destiny.” You can take a look at the play on May 2, 9, 29, and 30 at 20:30 at the Beyoğlu Kumbaracı50 stage. But as always, we don’t forget our background music; and we give our voice to the song “Hepinize El Salladım” from the Adamlar band, one of the background songs of the play. And if you’re ready, let’s start our interview with the writer and director of “Yan Dünya,” Gülhan Kadim, and the actress Ayşegül Uraz…
“I wrote a play for the first time and then directed it”
Starting from the end, I want to start… American philosopher Frederick Neuhouser gives an example of the reflection of this lack of communication in daily life: “A theme experienced every day. Suddenly, a person realizes that his life has moved significantly away from him. Someone who experiences this situation feels nothing for the people who once meant something to him; he is indifferent to the things that once excited him, and the projects he embraced with sacrifices are no longer valuable to him. He lives a life that is alien, programmed by society. When a social role forces him to act in a way that makes him uncomfortable, he realizes that everything he does is aimed at meeting the expectations of others. Or, at moments when he feels he has to give emotional reactions desperately, it is the state of recognizing that he is not himself and feeling estranged from himself.” Looking at the course of the world today, what do you think of your “2023 Z Report”? And what is your prediction for Turkish art/theater in 2024 (short and long term)?
Gülhan Kadim: Our 2023 report is screaming, “What are you doing?” “Are you going crazy that you are releasing 3 plays in these economic conditions?” we reply. We do not have a forecast for 2024. Long term is always difficult, short term is becoming difficult now. The same things will happen again. Despite everything, we will continue to produce and insistently survive. The only difference is that we will feel better in Beyoğlu and strive to establish stronger alliances and collaborations.
Moving on to “Buyurunuz uyuyunuz. Uyumak mecburi, uyanmak kısmet…” by giving the background of the play, the story is shaped around the question of what the characters would do when they are informed that they will wake up in the “world next door” the next day. What are your thoughts on the chaos/information chaos of the “world next door” from your perspective?
Gülhan Kadim: I think one of the biggest titles of this age is “information.” We are heading towards times when correct and incorrect information cannot be distinguished from each other. Artificial intelligence is already booming. We lived the same things in the pandemic, the same chaos. If they said today, “This life is over, we are going to the next life next door,” I do not think things would be very different. Some will not believe, some will not care, some will say the aliens have come, some will say they will put a chip in us, and the source and development of that information will become insignificant.
When we think about the six characters in the play “Yan Dünya”, who do they correspond to these days; where does the text stand in today’s criticism? How would you describe a “world next door” picture that emerges when you gather the creative team?
Gülhan Kadim: I actually wrote based on the characters who show different behaviors when informed that they will transition to the next world. Faruk (Murat Kapu) is in a great state of anxiety, with many questions, no one is answering them, and no one cares about his questions, he is being thrown from here to there, he does not want to die, he does not want it to be left unfinished. Shehnaz (Ayşegül Uraz) and her husband Diğer Faruk (Meriç Rakalar) can be anything. They say, “Whatever will be, will be, we can’t change anything, so let’s imagine our farewell.” Kudret (Yiğit Sertdemir) is not affected by anything, what he thinks is unclear, he is only focused on his own thoughts. Sema (Ayşegül Tekin) starts implementing a decision on the last night. The clearest character… Creating a decision on the spot. She is also writing and playing her own game a bit. Adam (Volkan Çıkıntoğlu) joins the night at the last moment, but it becomes the result of everything. I am not criticizing or judging any of these characters. I just want to look at the chaos that human beings love to magnify with a magnifying glass. After all, the thread is running out. Even if you catch it, it does not make any sense.
When creating the characters, what were the tools in your background; any sounds, images, music, lines, elements, or objects that you could not forget?
Gülhan Kadim: I feel like I have answered some of this question above! Adamlar’s songs were in my head from the beginning. Apart from that, I think I wrote as if I was directing while writing the play. Everything that was swirling around in my mind was in the text.
“What to say if I was a character in the play”
Starting with the most important place in the world for me, the final destination… Okay, I’ll try… Am I going to be able to sleep? I was trying not to sleep just like Faruk! I said, this could be a great play when I wake up. Then one year passed. I said, let me focus on this topic, write a brief synopsis, give it to a writer friend, maybe he will be interested and write it. I started writing, and I sent a few pages to Yiğit (Sertdemir); thinking that maybe he would write it. “You’re really writing, continue,” he said. Then the text was finished in about a month. It seems that my mind and heart have been spinning around that world a lot. That’s how I wrote my first play.
What section or scene of the play has had the most impact on you? And what kind of situation/feeling does this create in you?
Gülhan Kadim: The final. But of course, I can’t explain without giving spoilers! It is a feeling that does not end with a big sentence, leaves the uncertainty in the arms. I like it. Because not every question has an answer. We may remain in an unknown place.
In the event that you coincidentally meet the characters of the play and have a chat with them, what would be your words to them?
Gülhan Kadim: “Are you crazy?”
Ayşegül Uraz: I would like to say this to my character: “Shehnaz, I am really amazed at your nonchalance in existing in this life, your way of making fun of life, your freedom to remove boundaries, your ability to take care of your own limits, and finally, of course, your self-confidence.”
These responses provide an insightful and engaging look into the world of “Yan Dünya.” The play offers a unique perspective on the chaos of reality, inviting audiences to contemplate the implications of small decisions and actions in a world filled with uncertainty and unpredictability. As the characters navigate through a complex web of emotions and relationships, the play challenges the audience to set aside their preconceived notions and immerse themselves in this strange and surreal world.
Overall, “Yan Dünya” promises to be a thought-provoking and entertaining production that raises important questions about the nature of reality, the complexity of human relationships, and the impact of information overload on our lives. Don’t miss the opportunity to experience this dark comedy at Kumbaracı50 and witness the world next door come to life on stage.
