![]() ![]() It is a cultural icon and one of the most popular figures in Turkey. ![]() Karagoz dates back nearly 700 years in Anatolia. Academic theses have been written, and panels, conferences were held about it. MM: How did you first hear about the hero Karagoz?ĪH: After Karagöz was accepted and included in the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 2009, it has become so popular worldwide. That will be the first time the United States. I was the declared as an intangible heritage by UNESCO in 2008. My background is acting, that’s one of the plans to do some project about the Ottoman Empire storyteller which is called Meddah. So, I’m doing traditional Karagoz shadow theatre, Anatolian body puppets. My company’s first purpose that modernizes the Anatolian traditional art, adapted it to this century and culture of the United States. Actually, I’m interesting different styles of the form. ![]() MM: How many forms of puppetry have you worked with?ĪH: The traditional art is the best for myself. I think this process will continue until the end of my career. Then I did hundreds of shows, discover something new at every show. Then I started walking on the floor as I started to receive professional training. After I started to do theatre, I discovered myself. I can never forget my first experience doing theatre. I was a shy, silent student who could not express himself in public. ![]() MM: How did you first break into the theater scene and how have your performances evolved over the years?ĪH: I had my first experiment in high school. After that, I brought my acting and writing background together and started to do projects for kids and adults. I also wrote about art in national newspapers and magazines and took part in several theatre and cinema projects. I started my professional career in 2011 after finishing Sahika Tekand Studio Performers. During that time, I decide to be an actor. I founded the theater group called Hayal Perdesi in 2005 while continuing my education at Pamukkale University in Turkey. Meagan Meehan (MM): How did you initially get interested in theater, and how come you focus on kids’ theater and puppetry in particular?Īyhan Hulagu (AH): When I was in high school, I became interested in theatre. A few years ago, he started touring Karagoz performances across the United States, earning critical and audience acclaim.Īyhan recently spoke about this play and more via an exclusive interview. Crafting his shadow puppets by hand and performing on the kazoo and tambourine, Hulagu has presented Karagoz Theatre Company plays all over the world. UNESCO has recognized Karagoz shadow puppetry as part of the world’s “intangible heritage.”Ĭreator Ayhan Hulagu developed an interest in shadow puppetry in high school and started performing professionally soon after, completing a course in shadow plays offered jointly by the Turkish Ministry of arts and culture and International Puppetry Association (UNIMA) in Istanbul, in 2011. The show features traditional live music and puppets hand-crafted in the Ottoman Empire style. “The Forest of the Witch” was adapted from a play originally created by Muhittin Sevilen, an early 20th-century Turkish puppeteer known for his humor and imagination. Karagoz subsequently learns the importance of nature and protecting the environment. The story of “The Forest of the Witch” is based on an abiding Turkish story about Karagoz and his friend who cut the branches from a magical neighborhood tree and become transformed into something unexpected. Suitable for children and adults, the gorgeous shadow puppetry performance features the character of Karagoz who is a hero in traditional Anatolian shadow plays. “The Forest of the Witch” is a new puppet play coming to Symphony Space Theater. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |