The 102nd episode of the show “Eylül Aşkın İle…”, hosted by Eylül Aşkın and known for its deep conversations, this time featured Yerkan Kahraman, who has left his mark on the art world with his identities as an actor and writer. The episode took place in the intimate atmosphere of FOV Concept, located on Susam Street in Cihangir, which hosts different disciplines of art. In this special interview, Kahraman not only shared details of his new theatre projects but also made sincere and thought-provoking statements about the turning points in his acting journey, his writing process, and his way of perceiving life.
Acting: “The Field That is the Exact Equivalent of Life, Where I Can Distance Myself from Myself”
Telling the story of how he started acting, Kahraman stated that this adventure dates back to his middle school years and began professionally when a friend gave him a theatre course card. He emphasized that for him, acting underlies all the work he does and is the “exact equivalent of life.” Expressing that one of the greatest pleasures that acting provides him is the “opportunity to be someone other than himself, to forget himself,” Kahraman revealed his inner and personal connection to acting with sincere words: “I don’t like myself very much. I guess I’m escaping to those places, playing roles.”
Müjdat Gezen Art Center: “An Opportunity to Discover Yourself in a Libertarian Environment”
When asked how his educational experience at the Müjdat Gezen Art Center affected him, Kahraman said that this process didn’t change his perspective on acting much, but detailed it. Although he admitted that the rehearsal processes were a “tumultuous, quarrelsome and hateful” period for him, he underlined that the libertarian environment provided by Müjdat Gezen was invaluable. “Müjdat Hoca doesn’t have such an attitude anyway. Since he is a fully libertarian man, he always left us free. He even allowed us to do things he didn’t like at all or got angry about, saying ‘it would be better if you didn’t do them’,” he said, drawing attention to the critical role of this environment, which allowed them to discover themselves by making mistakes and pushing boundaries, in his professional development.
Turning Points: Ascent in Theatre with “Uçurtmanın Kuyruğu” and in Cinema with “Fedakar”
Kahraman described two important turning points in his acting career. The first was the play “Uçurtmanın Kuyruğu” (The Tail of the Kite), staged at the Müjdat Gezen Art Center and written by Savaş Dinçel. He described this play and the “Adam” (Man) character he portrayed as an experience that deeply affected his understanding of acting and his self-confidence. “It was a role that carried me upward, giving me momentum in terms of acting. While acting, Savaş Hoca’s picture was in the wings, and I went on stage talking to him,” said Kahraman, stating that this role made him feel that he could “do better” and that it formed the basis of his current one-man play “Poprişçin”.
His significant turning point in cinema was his nomination for “Best Actor” at the Golden Orange Film Festival with the movie “Fedakar” (The Devotee). He expressed that this nomination excited him and that he was happy to receive positive feedback from the industry. However, he attributed the failure of this momentum to continue to the requirements of “socializing” in the industry and his own “introverted” side. “Writing and acting are very opposite things; one requires being introverted, the other requires being extroverted. While I was going back and forth between those intervals, I guess I was a bit introverted,” he explained this breaking point in his career journey with honesty.
Writing: A Novel is Coming After “Küçük Harfler, Büyük Aşklar”
Describing the process behind his poetry book “Küçük Harfler, Büyük Aşklar” (Small Letters, Big Loves), Kahraman said that the poems in the book consist of texts written over the years about the loves he felt for nearly 70 different women and the relationships he had. He humorously confessed that he also had many writings that didn’t make it into the book or that he disliked. Announcing that a second book is among his future plans, Kahraman emphasized that this time he wants to write a novel, not poetry. “I have things that I designed as a cinema film story, but which I have now decided to write as a novel since I became convinced they wouldn’t be filmed in Turkey,” he signaled his entry into the world of literature with a new genre.
Upcoming Projects: “Poprişçin” and “Tamam mı Devam mı?” Shaped Together with the Audience
Kahraman shared detailed information about two new theatre projects where audiences will see him on stage soon. The first project is a one-man play called “Poprişçin” (based on Poprishchin), planned to meet the audience by the end of October. This play will offer the chance to watch his solo performance on stage.
The second project is a two-person play called “Tamam mı Devam mı?” (Over or Continue?), which he will stage with his former classmate from Müjdat Gezen, actress Petek Güney. The play, scheduled to premiere in mid-November, tells the story of a couple questioning their 19-year marriage. The most striking aspect of the play is its semi-interactive structure, where the finale changes with each performance based on the audience’s instant reactions and directions (“Continue” or “End it”). Kahraman explained the dynamic structure of the play: “We will proceed by getting feedback from the audience on how they want it to continue, or if they say ‘end it’, we will end it depending on the situation.” The play is planned to be staged at venues such as Sahne Beşiktaş and Baba Sahne.
The Future of Theatre: “A Real and Live Harbor to Take Refuge in the Age of Artificial Intelligence”
Pointing out that the theatre audience in Turkey has increased significantly in recent years, Kahraman attributed this situation to the “decrease of good things, sincerity, and warmth in television and cinema.” He stated that people take refuge in theatre halls to break away from the chaos of daily life and Turkey’s heavy agenda. His prediction regarding the age of artificial intelligence was quite striking: “The only area where artificial intelligence will be beneficial is theatre. Maybe in 10 years, ticket prices will be much higher, but the halls will still be packed. Because what artificial intelligence can never imitate is that live performance on stage, the breath, the lowering of the voice, and that direct, sincere connection established with the audience.” Kahraman expressed his belief that theatre, as it has been for thousands of years, will continue to exist by appealing to the emotions that make us human, even in a future ruled by technology.
The Philosophy Behind the Saying “Woman is Civilization”
During the interview, when asked what the saying “Woman is civilization,” which he had expressed before, meant to him, Kahraman explained his thought in depth with these words: “If woman didn’t exist, we couldn’t be civilized one bit. All works of art, poems, books, novels emerge out of love, and generally, these stories develop with a man’s love for a woman. Love is a feeling that pushes a person, who doesn’t know how to express himself, to do something, to create. Therefore, woman is the driving force of civilization.” With these words, he showed his respect for the human emotions underlying art and progress, and especially for women.
To Follow
You can follow Yerkan Kahraman on his personal Instagram account (@yerkankahraman) to keep up with his projects and get up-to-date information about performance dates. For tickets and stage schedules of the plays “Poprişçin” and “Tamam mı Devam mı?”, it is also recommended to follow the social media accounts and websites of Sahne Beşiktaş and Baba Sahne.
