When he stepped onto the stage, there was a man with a tambourine in his hand and a story to tell on his face. He came gliding through the shadows under the dim lights, greeting us with the rhythm of the tambourine and sending us off to our seats. At that very moment, we realized that we were not in an ordinary play.
“In the blackest of the night
I am where hope ends.
If I turn the corner, it is death,
If I go straight, it is life.
I am in the shadows.”
These lines echoed in our ears, we sat in our seats in the shadows. The play started with smiles, the first minutes flowed with laughter. However, as the narrative progressed, the smiles on our faces turned gray. Our eyes filled with tears, a lump formed in our throats, and at times there was only silence in the hall.
The Heart of the Story: Love in the Shadow of Izan
“9/8’lik Kıyamet (9/8 Apocalypse)” is not only a love story; it is also an awakening, a critique, a scream. The play tells the story of a conservative organization – İzan – that oppresses the people by turning the climate crisis in Turkey into an opportunity. However, there is an extraordinary love that blossoms in this atmosphere of oppression: the love that Diyar finds in the midst of the apocalypse and then loses.
The play offers an impressive narrative that does not limit love to physical contact, but also brings other forms of love to the stage. We find love in making eye contact, sharing the same silence, and meeting in a story.
The Magic of the Stage: A Solo Army
Actor Oğulcan Arman Uslu gave rhythm to his story with his tambourine. He grew a little bigger on stage with each of his stories. Sometimes he described Leyla’s hair, sometimes the moment when Kopil hid in Leyla’s bosom… Every word he said became a picture in my mind, the scene came to life not in my eyes but in my heart. Just like his performance in the movie Tereddüt, he was impressive; but watching it live on stage was much more shocking. I don’t want to miss his plays from now on.
“If the Apocalypse Happens…”
When the play ended, there was a silence inside me. When I went outside, the night seemed darker. I thought about the apocalypse that had sunk into me: If the apocalypse really does happen, who would I call first? Who would I run to? Who would I save? And could I… survive that swamp?
“9/8’lik Kıyamet” is not just watched; it is experienced. Questioning, hurting, loving, thinking… Every place it touched my heart still aches.
