A chubby Superman, a vain Cleopatra, an activist Native American, an overly rational academic, and a macho guy stuck in the 1980s…
They all perform—on a brightly lit, too-small stage—a script written for them by Ms. Y and directed by Ms. P, entirely in playback.
How much of these dictated roles truly belong to them, and how much is the fantasy of the writer? Is the playback of life even possible? How real are we among the roles imposed on us? Can we find answers to these questions in seven scenes and seven questions?
Written by Yeşim Özsoy in collaboration with the actors and inspired by their real-life stories, this playback-performed piece was staged at GalataPerform during the 2006–2007 and 2007–2008 seasons. Playback was also presented at the 0090 Kunstenfestival in Antwerp, Belgium in 2006.
Playback, as we know from TV, stage, or cinema, is a technique that has long been part of our lives. It’s essentially the story of a lie—a representation of safe choices in the world of performance, an endless game, and above all, a perfect blend of truth and fiction.
The five characters in Playback oscillate between authenticity and artificiality. As they explore the boundaries of their lives, they also share their inner worlds and personal histories with the audience. Developed through a unique writing process between the performers and the playwright, the play challenges the audience to ask: Where does truth lie? How much of what you hear is real, and how much is fabricated? Can even our own stories drift away from reality?
As the playback continues, the characters move through seven scenes titled “Childhood,” “Bomb,” “Faith,” “Decision,” “Politics,” “Sexuality,” and “Death.” Within these frames, they use their stories to survive both on the playback stage and in life—until one of them finally rebels against the script they’ve been trapped in, resisting the narrative dictated by the writer.
Behind the Scenes
Written by: Yeşim Özsoy and Ve Diger Seyler Toplulugu actors
Directed by: Yeşim Özsoy
Sound Design: Korhan Erel
Set & Costume Design: Başak Özdoğan Pirim
Lighting Design: Cem Yılmazer
Song Coaching: Onur Orkut
Cast
Nükhet Akkaya
Sanem Öge
Özlem Saraç
Batur Belirdi
Yaman Ceri
Burcu Tekin
Yeşim Özsoy