AKSAK DELIRIUM – MARCH 12 / FIRST READING, FIRST ENCOUNTER

On March 12, at Orient-Institut, we shared that fragile moment when the text first met voice, body, and gaze. Aksak Delirium is not yet a finished structure; rather, it is a world searching for its own balance—stumbling, shifting, and rebuilding itself.

This first reading was not a conclusion, but a beginning. The text expanded through the actors, at times resisted, at times opened itself.

For us, what matters in this process is not “finding the right answer,” but opening a space for thinking together. Listening to where the text breaks, where it breathes, where it seeks to grow—creating a field of exploration.

This section on our website is conceived as a space where we share the pulse of this journey—an ongoing process. We will continue to share updates here at intervals.

After receiving valuable feedback during the rehearsal process from our actors participating in the staged reading—Batur Belirdi, Yaman Ceri, Evrim Doğan, Sanem Öge, Okan Urun, and Elif Temuçin—it was incredibly valuable to witness not only the audience’s reactions to the reading during its presentation, but also their engagement in discussing the play, offering comments, and posing questions afterwards.




Among the questions that stayed with us:

  • To what extent do we want the audience to engage deeply with religious and mythological references when placing them within a contemporary Etiler/Istanbul story?
  • While pointing to contemporary wars, religious conflicts, and divisions, where is God situated within this framework—and should it be represented at all?
  • Does the existing conflict lead to a resolution?
  • Is the piece driven by narrative, or will it be shaped as a dramatic process through direction?
  • Given that this is not a conventional text, how can the challenges of staging be approached?
  • Was there any self-censorship during the writing process?

Aksak Delirium, which began in Portugal as part of the writing process I developed in response to “Writing on New Realities,” is now entering its directing and production phase in Istanbul with GalataPerform.

I wrote this first entry myself. This space is intended as a kind of diary—sometimes a single image, sometimes a text by another member of the team, sometimes rehearsal visuals, or fragments of daily, philosophical, or artistic references that resonate with the piece.

If you would like to share your thoughts or reflections, feel free to write to us.

Warmly,

Yeşim Özsoy.