In January 1881, the famous English puppeteer Thomas Holden’s Carmen puppet caught the eye of Istanbul photographer Onnik Efendi. Drawn to its lifelike beauty, Onnik Efendi fell in love with the puppet and was caught in the act of attempting to steal it. Decades later, in Sinem Öztürk’s play "Carmen," Holden meets a tragic end –setting himself and the Carmen puppet on fire in his backyard. This dramatic and fictional event becomes a powerful symbol, propelling the play’s exploration of obsession, art and identity.
The play’s central character, renowned English puppeteer Thomas Holden, is introduced while performing in Beyoğlu in 1881. Known for his highly realistic, human-sized puppets, Holden's Carmen quickly becomes the talk of the town. Yet there is a darker truth behind the puppet: Carmen is no longer just a creation, but an object of obsession, as she is seen almost as a real woman. Photographer Onnik Efendi, drawn to her, becomes obsessed, chasing this ill-fated love amid the political shifts brought on by the Ottoman Empire's declaration of constitutionalism. These historical changes intertwine with the drama, reflecting the era's tension and turmoil.
For Hakan Eratik, the actor who portrays Thomas Holden, taking on the role felt almost destined. Upon first reading the script, he felt an immediate resonance with Holden’s words, as if the character had been waiting for him. When director Sinem Öztürk later offered him the role, it seemed like a long-awaited moment, almost predestined. Eratik was struck by the remarkable resemblance between his own image and the historical engravings of Holden, as though he had been cast to reflect the character's very essence.
The historical setting of the play adds another layer of depth. Eratik believes that for a story to truly engage, it must be rooted in reality, and Carmen is just that. Inspired by historical fragments, Öztürk weaves a narrative that balances history, emotion and performance. The result is a compelling theatrical experience that transports the audience to a world shaped by the past, yet feels deeply immediate and personal.
Another important pair in the play are the twin characters Yartev and Vartev. These humorous figures bring lightness to the story while simultaneously engaging in a historical debate. Their mastery in blending comedy with drama creates an unforgettable experience as they accompany the emotional arcs of the main characters.
Sinem Öztürk, who wrote and directed "Carmen," found that balancing humor and drama was one of her greatest challenges. In Turkish storytelling tradition, humor is often used as both a defense mechanism and a form of critique. Yartev and Vartev, original characters created for the play, embody this dual role, adding sharp, self-aware energy to the narrative. As performers navigating a world of art and politics, they resist the marginalization of their craft. Their presence both mocks the intensity of the central drama and reinforces its themes. Öztürk notes that maintaining this balance and preventing it from slipping into parody, required a precise and delicate approach—something that was honed during extensive rehearsals.
Sinem Öztürk’s inspiration for "Carmen" came from an unlikely source: her archival research. As an opera enthusiast, she stumbled upon a curious news report about a stolen Carmen puppet in old press clippings. The story intrigued her, but it was during a lecture by Ali Poyrazoğlu at the Süreyya Opera House that Öztürk saw its deeper significance. She recognized a tragic parallel between Onnik Efendi’s obsession with Carmen and Holden’s devastation over losing his creation. This became the heart of the play, a meditation on two souls struggling with longing, obsession and artistic devotion.
Onnik and Holden are both individuals caught between extremes. Onnik is haunted by an unresolved attachment to his mother, while Holden is consumed by a near-mystical connection to his art. Drawing from Lacanian psychoanalysis, Öztürk shaped Onnik’s character around the concept of jouissance – a blend of pain and pleasure that drives his obsessive desire to possess Carmen. Holden, on the other hand, exists in the blurred space between artistic brilliance and madness. Their collision in a rapidly changing Istanbul creates an emotional storm that touches everyone around them.
Hakan Eratik’s portrayal of Thomas Holden adds depth to the emotional landscape of "Carmen." This is not just a historical drama; it is a psychological exploration of a character’s inner turmoil. Eratik’s performance brings Holden’s personal struggles to the forefront, offering a compelling portrayal of an artist on the brink of madness. Alongside Eratik, the performances of Cengiz Samsun, Mehmet Şerif Tozlu and Mahir Akgündoğdu further elevate the narrative, enriching the audience’s connection to the story.
For Eratik, "Carmen" represents a deeply personal project. The play’s delicate balance of sound, rhythm and emotion creates a theatrical experience that immerses both the actors and the audience. He refers to this balance as a "trinity" of voice, word and frequency – an interplay that elevates the performance from a mere play into a sensory and philosophical encounter.
Beyond its central love story, "Carmen" is a reflection of an era in transition. The late Ottoman period was marked by a struggle between tradition and modernity, a theme that resonates throughout the play. Öztürk intentionally weaves two key historical currents into the narrative: the evolution of theater and the ideological battles surrounding constitutional reforms. Yartev and Vartev, as passionate defenders of their art, embody the political shift taking place. As performers who shout slogans in the streets, they fiercely hold on to their craft, symbolizing the larger ideological battle. Thus, Carmen becomes not only a story set in the past, but also a reflection of the future – a dialogue that spans centuries.
