´GALATA 42´: A Professional Theater Play with Amateur Players

By Vivet Yohay

Translation by Janet Mitrani

The GKD Theatre Group which has been counting the days until the new play after two years, this time decided to enact the actual history for its audience. Times of war and the Wealth Tax had never been told to us downright by our elders. These times, known as 'Kayadez (hush, be quiet)' [in Ladino], were, in the recent past, as quiet as the walls of forsaken castles. However, our community, which has been growing smaller day by day, is now talking. The walls have collapsed.

The minorities victimized by politics can only shout out openly, with this generation, the sanctions of the Wealth Tax and its disastrous consequences. The coming apart of the families, the migrations, the tears, the silent inability to forgive, and the financial exhaustion are now being talked about, albeit late. The 'Incident of the Reserve Soldiers by Drawing of Twenty Lots' followed by irrational taxes could only have been towards destroying our people.

GKD this time took this meaningful historical era in a way that will both make you laugh and think, and sought to make the audience have a good time. GKD's powerful play is getting ready to shed light on history. The title of the play is GALATA 42.

The professional acting of amateur players is truly amazing. The difficult rehearsal and working conditions due to GKD's building still being incomplete and players not allowing any disruption in the flow of the play, once again displayed for all to see how strong the GKD spirit is with the acting, the players, and all who had contributed.

The theatre play was performed in the Ulus Amram Auditorium. The whole team, including the teens and children, working late resolutely, made a great effort to make sure the play was perfect. This week we held our breath.

The play written by Aksel Bonfil, and directed by Betsi Bahar, under the commission presidency of Çiçek-Leon Menda, was performed with the undeniable efforts of 40 people aged from 7 to 70 on the stage, making the audience laugh, move, shed tears with the facts, and impressing all with the visuals, in the end, receiving a standing ovation.

Thank you GKD. For raising awareness, bringing us together, making us able to question what life holds, and simply for your presence.

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