Hasibe Kalkan, Head of the Theatre Criticism and Dramaturgy Department at Istanbul University, was a guest of the Showcase programme. In an interview with Anita Angelova, she shares her reflections on the festival’s performances.

First, could you please present yourself shortly. What brought you to Varna Summer Theatre Festival?

I teach at Istanbul University theatre criticism, theatre history, and dramaturgy. I am very interested in the cultures of different countries, especially in learning about countries through their theatre traditions. I combine this interest with history and culture, and I think theatre showcases are one of the best ways to do that. That is one of the reasons I came to Varna. I’ve heard that this showcase is very good. I have known Asen for some time, and he invited me a long time ago, but I couldn’t manage to come in previous years. This time I am happy that I was able to attend.

You have the chance to follow the Bulgarian showcase and the international programme of the festival. What are your reflections on the performances?

I had the opportunity to watch The Tempest and Illusions, which were the international productions, and all the others were Bulgarian ones. The Tempest was quite nice. I liked the director’s sense of humour and I found the performance very enjoyable. I especially appreciated the way he dealt with Ariel and how he brought the play into a contemporary context. I think it was a good approach. 

I also liked all the dance performances – Triptych and Behind you by Ballet Arabesque. I was very impressed by this dance company because I did not know about it before. I liked the way they used music, the setting, the stage design, and the costumes. For the audience, it felt almost like meditation. I was especially impressed by how they used their bodies. They were truly excellent. I think the dance productions are something Bulgaria can present anywhere in the world. 

I also saw The Fellowman’s Face, and Albion. Aesthetically, these productions felt quite similar. The acting style and directing approach seemed somewhat old-fashioned to me. I do not really understand why they still choose to stage performances in that way or create stage designs like that. As a spectator, I found them a little difficult to follow. That said, there was one actress – Paola Maraviglia in The Fellowman’s Face whom I found interesting. Later, your colleague told me that she had won an award, and I understood why. She stood out more than the other actors on stage. Albion also seemed to me like a kind of a Chekhov’s play, almost like an adaptation of The Seagull.

Cries from the Underground was a good experience because the director tried to make a very dark text funny, and he managed to create moments where the audience could laugh. The actor was quite convincing and kept the audience’s attention. 

However, it is always difficult with the Showcase programmes. We organise a Showcase  in Istanbul as well, and selecting a one-person performance with so much text is challenging. International audiences must read subtitles constantly, and naturally they cannot catch everything. Since it is an adaptation, you want to understand why people are laughing and reacting. I think the main difficulty with this performance was that it is so text-based, that can be challenging for international spectators. Apart from that, it is a good play, with a good actor and a good director.

Illusions was quite different from the other plays. With my colleague we talked about the possibility of obtaining the text and perhaps translating it into Turkish because the subject matter is very compelling. I also liked the way it was staged. The young performers were not overly expressive. I appreciate that kind of aesthetics.

It was good that we were having this conversation today because we have now seen all the performances, and only the concert remains.

What did you think about the last performance – Rapture and Rage?

I liked it. It reminded me of productions by Rimini Protokoll. Since I grew up in Germany, I am very familiar with the history discussed in the performance, especially the rise of fascism. At times I felt the dramaturgy could have been stronger, and there were moments that seemed a little confusing. The structure could perhaps have been clearer. However, the topic itself was very interesting.

I like performances where spectators are asked to participate instead of simply sit and watch. Interaction between audience members can create very powerful moments. In Rapture and Rage, there was one scene I found particularly strong. We were asked not to speak, only to stand and look into the eyes of our partners. Questions were asked, and we responded only with our eyes. For me, that was the most interesting part of the performance. Perhaps my partner also made the experience especially engaging.