AN IMPROVISED EXAMPLE IN TRADITIONAL TURKISH THEATRE: ORTAOYUNU
AN IMPROVISED EXAMPLE IN TRADITIONAL TURKISH THEATRE: ORTAOYUNU

Summary/Abstract: Ortaoyunu is one of the main elements of the traditional Turkish theatre, which contains improvisation, music, dances, and songs performed in a circular or ellipse ground surrounded by the audience. Especially in 1860s in İstanbul, it received great attention, as it was performed in open air in summers and close in winters. A folding screen which is called “yenidünya”, and a two-layered cage called “dükkan” were used as décors. The leading characters are Kavuklu and Pişekâr. Each play reflects the multicultural pattern of the Ottoman Empire. The characteristics of the individuals coming from different occupations, environments, cultures, and nations are represented. Costumes reveal the social classes and characteristics of the individuals. Plays are divided into prologue, conversation, act, and resolution. Laughter concentrates on tongue slips and errors. Ortaoyunu, which is established completely in the 19th century, is an “open” and “exhibitive” type of comedy. Our aim in this paper is to introduce ortaoyunu with its structural, thematic, and semantic elements.

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