the tragedy of

richard ııı

a play in one act
 (an adaptation from king richard ııı by shakespeare)

director
çetin sarıkartal

dramaturgy
çetin sarıkartal-ayşe selen-şehsuvar aktaş

performers
ayşe selen, şehsuvar aktaş, nergis öztürk, serpil göral, tuğrul tülek

puppet design
 şehsuvar aktaş

 III. Riçırd Faciası (The Tragedy of Richard III) is a play based on Shakespeare’s King Richard III, and actually develops in the form of a continuous storytelling by five performers and a puppet, in which 12 dramatic scenes from Shakespeare’s original tragedy have been inserted according to the course of the narrative. In technical terms, the play focuses on the issue of integrating a narrative text with classical verse, as well as of combining storytelling and puppetry with dramatic acting.

The fabula of the play is as follows:

Five jinns in human form and a papier-mâché puppet, which is called as “Master” by the jinns, are performing before audience. According to jinns, Master leads them in storytelling and performing, just like the master of a traditional performance company that used to tell stories to and perform before the public, especially to lead people to deduce moral lessons out of stories. They start a story about human character, namely, the desires, cravings of the flesh, greed, ambition, will to political power, and tragedy. Then, Master associates those issues with the historical example of Richard III and Shakespeare’s dramatic account of it, and they start to tell their story in constant reference to scenes from Shakespeare’s play. The play continues as a mixture of storytelling and dramatic performance in which the jinns and Master take on several roles. Yet, in the course of the narrative, something unpredictable happens: Master begins to be affected by conditions and relationships represented in dramatic scenes, and identifies with Richard III. Consequently, Richard’s tragedy turns into Master’s grotesque fate.

Technical Properties

Age: 16+
Company: We have a cast and crew of five people; Şehsuvar Aktaş, Ayşe Selen, Nergis Ozturk, Serpil Goral, Tuğrul Tülek
Running Time: 85 minutes without intermission.
Stage Dimensions: Minimum 6 m. breadth; 5 m. depth; 3 m. height.(We would like to cover the back of the stage entirely with black facing, if possible.)
House: Maximum capacity of 150 people. House needs to be darkened completely.
Lighting: 220V power provided on stage. Total power load 1000W. Lighting equipments are provided by our own.

 the tragedy of richard ııı is not in the repertoire.

This post is also available in: Turkish