Istanbul Gelisim University (IGU) Faculty of Fine Arts (FAF) Radio, Television and Cinema department head Dr. Instructor Member Önder Paker held an interview titled “Travel in Time with Theatre”, moderated by Murat D. Çekin, as part of Kazlıçeşme Art Talks. In Kazlıçeşme Art Talks, where a different theme is determined every month, the theme of October was theater. Having completed his undergraduate, graduate and doctorate education on theater, and staged 117 plays to date, Asst. Prof. Dr. Önder Paker talked about the history of the theater and William Shakespeare.
“Theater emerges as the ancestor of all arts (…) When we take a theatrical journey through time, we go through the history of civilization completely.”
Explaining the technical dimensions of the theater, its elements such as stage, time, place and decor in the historical process, Asst. Prof. Dr. Önder Paker explained the perception of people and belief that has transformed from the Middle Ages to the present, and the reflections of this transformation on theatre. Paker, who supported his explanations with a sociological and philosophical background, also conveyed the effects of the developments of other disciplines on theatre.
Telling the stories of important historical figures, Asst. Prof. Dr. Önder Paker especially focused on the story of William Shakespeare. Mentioning the influence of Bertolt Brecht on the art of theater, Paker also touched upon the differences between traditional Turkish theater and Turkish theater that developed under the influence of the west.
Stating that theater is an art that will never end, and that theater will exist as long as there are people on earth, Asst. Prof. Dr. Önder Paker concluded the conversation by reciting a tirade from Tomas Fasulyeciyan, one of the first actors of the modern Turkish theatre.
You can listen to the interview of Asst. Prof. Dr. Önder Paker titled "Journey Through Time with Theatre" on the Zeytinburnu Culture and Arts YouTube channel.
