Transformative Potential and Utopian Performative: Postdramatic Hamlet in Turkey

Turkey is among those Non-Anglophone countries which have had a keen interest in Shakespeare and his plays for over two hundred years. When it comes to the staging of Turkey, especially when protagonists or leading roles are considered, “overacting” one most notable techniques highlighting, presumably, spirit Renaissance Jacobean times. Still, recent years, there been some productions try challenge deconstruct traditional ways Shakespearean play. One such Hamlet Istanbul State Theatre, directed by Işıl Kasapoğlu 2014, director makes use postdramatic theatre techniques. As play begins, audience sees huge red jewel box has placed onto centre stage. Soon after opened, becomes clear that character coming out playing enacting not only role but also many other Disrupting habitual heavily relies on mimesis closed “fictive cosmos” (Lehmann 22), production, more strikingly, allows an innovative acting as possible actor acts all major roles, Hamlet, Claudius, Gertrude, Ophelia, Polonius, etc., various holding dummies hands their monologues dialogues. Fusing Hans-Thies Lehmann’s theory with Jill Dolan’s argumentation utopian performative, this study will investigate how performance contends used Kasapoğlu’s contribute performative possibility creating impulse audience. The paper thus claim renders presenting transformative potential members engages our present moment.