WHEN THE CITY IS EMPTY

Being the first play of Zorlu PSM Productions, When the City Is Empty was on Turkcell Platinum Stage.

"When the City Is Empty" introduces Rukiye, a woman who left her rural Anatolian roots for the hustle and bustle of Istanbul. With such a chaos now behind her, Rukiye finds refuge in an unlikely place - a barbershop. It's as if Nurullah, the owner of the shop, is her savior, taking her under his wing and looking out for her. An unusual friendship forms between them, as Nurullah, who has isolated himself from others for years, finds a kindred spirit in Rukiye. Enter Ali, a hustler, who becomes part of their story. Ali is a young man with dreams of becoming a director. His entrance to the story is through the protagonist of his film - his mother. A remarkable bond develops between Ali and Rukiye. As we listen to Ali tell Rukiye about his film, we are introduced to his wild and festive life.

"When the City Is Empty" weaves together stories of loneliness, friendship, love, and violence from the trio's world. Is life a fairytale, and if so, is there a happy ending? If there is no such a thing as a happy ending, then is what we call life a fairy tale or the bitter truth?

The play explores the roles of femininity and masculinity, with Rukiye, Nurullah, and Ali offering unique perspectives. From the barber's chair, we see what women, love, and loneliness look like. As the characters gaze into the mirror, what do they see staring back at them?

The questions "When the City Is Empty" asks prompts new ones, answers to which are both familiar and extremely novel.

Written by: Ahmet Sami Özbudak Directed by: Lerzan Pamir Production: Zorlu PSM Productions Line Producer: Feri Baycu Güler Scenic Design: Merve Yörük Costume Design: Gül Sağer Lighting Design: Cem Yılmazer Music: Tolga Çebi Casting Directors: Mine Güler, Elif Özge Maltepe Assistant to the Director: Ömer Güneş Project Assistant: Balım Kar Cast: Elçin Sangu, Ali Seçkiner Alıcı, Kerem Arslanoğlu, Elif Ürse, Ersin Arıcı

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