The heroes of a fantastical notary tale lined up in the night.
All their clients wanted was to obtain copies of themselves that looked exactly like the originals.
They were happy with the versions the system had transformed them into.
If only one of them hadn’t broken the rules, they might have lived happily ever after…
Premiering on May 21, 2008, as part of the 16th International Istanbul Theatre Festival, Noter invites the audience to feel like a client inside a notary office from the moment they step into the theatre. Produced by GalataPerform, the play ran throughout the 2008–2009 season, every Monday from January 12 to April 13, 2009, at GalataPerform. It was also performed on April 26–27, 2009, at the Akzente Festival in Duisburg, Germany, at Alte Feuerwache, where it was received with great interest by both Turkish and German audiences.
The set design of Noter immerses the audience in a realistic notary environment. The spatial arrangement deliberately blurs and redefines the boundary between the audience and the performers, drawing viewers further into the world of the play.
Set in a notary’s office—a place where the individual directly encounters the state—the play explores the silences and voids between the person and the system. Reflecting contemporary Turkey, Noter presents the confrontations that take place within a structure where the state is positioned above the individual. The cries of those silenced, muted, or even killed for various reasons in today’s Turkey resonate throughout the play, especially in its surprise ending.
Written & Directed by: Yeşim Özsoy
Dramaturgy: Ceren Ercan
Set & Costume Design: Bahar Uyandıran
Makeup: Aslı Ersüzer
Lighting Design: Enver Başar
Music Consultant: Alper Maral
Assistant Director: Lara Aysal
Art Consultant: Genco Gülan
Photography: Ali Karatuna – Alengirhane Fotoğraf
Video Recording: Nurhan Kalfayan
Video Editing: Batur Belirdi
Cast (in alphabetical order):
Ayşe Burcu Eren – Miss Şahsenem
Batur Belirdi – Mr. Selim
Buket Yanmaz – Mrs. Melis
Emre Yetim – Ahmet
Saydam Yeniay – Mr. Notary
İbrahim Ersoylu – Tea Boy (1st Season)
Koray Tarhan – Head Clerk
Mark Levitas – Erdem Güçbilmez
Neşe Mengüloğlu – Elvan
Nükhet Akkaya – Aunt Space
Özer Arslan – Tea Boy
Selin Zafertepe – Ece