Theater and Migros: One More Day of Stalling

Okay, one more day of procrastination in recapping Ivy EME Istanbul edition, I promise. 

Today I had a taste of some student Theater at Istanbul University. One of my co-workers offered to take us to a production his friends were putting up. Naturally, you didn't have to tell me twice. Yes, I'm a natural skeptic, but I usually don't say no. 

So we go to one of the oldest parts of Istanbul, Edgar is about to pee himself with excitement about the comparative literature department's history at IU. The production was called, "Encounter With the Same Kind," a student written and directed production out of the British Literature Majors. The premise: Mrs. Dalloway (who I am in real life, remember?) is throwing a party for Alice in Wonderland, Eve, the Virgin Mary, Mary Magdalene, Ophelia, Elizabeth Bennet, and Antoinette Bertha. 

Now, I will not remark on the acting, the staging, or any of the technical theatrical elements--this is not what this play was about... (even though my co-worker called it "experimental" and decided to buy roses for Mary Magdalene... awww). No. I was more interested in the fact that I was in Istanbul, watching a play in English, put on by Turkish students, in semi-understandable English, by English majors, with obvious sexual innuendo, exaggerated sexual metaphors, Christian symbolism, and a Mary Magdalene with orange hair who gets together with Mrs. Dalloway at the end. They definitely took the symbolism in the text a little too literally, which I took as a reflection of how literature is taught to them in a systematic and rehearsed manner--pardon the pun. The all girls nature reminded me of a poor, but sincere attempt at "Top Girls." 

I was waiting for Ophelia to drown herself but voila, the play was over. I took some time to walk around and notice that Istanbul University has an affinity for Brecht. There were about 4 different plays they have done about, by, or a la Brecht. Where is the Turkish Theatrical tradition? 

So after our theater jaunt, I ran into a bus to Sisli, where I got off at a Migros (yes, I thought it was Swiss, but apparently Koc owned it too). There, I dropped a fair amount on Special K, milk, cheese, and Halva, along with face cream and lotion to last the rest of the summer---I have not had any of these for about 3 weeks and missed them so much. In the process, I found "GUSTA" beer. So speaking of Theater and "Conversations With My Father," *ahem* this was a very theatrical day.