The 27th Yapı Kredi Afife Theatre Awards — one of Turkey’s most prestigious theatre honors — turned into a night marked as much by politics as by art. Medea Material emerged as the evening’s big winner with five awards, but the ceremony at Haliç Congress Center was shaken by protests during the acceptance speech of Sükun Işıtan, who won Best Actress of the Year.
A Speech That Sparked Reactions
When Sükun Işıtan — Deputy General Director and chief stage director of the Turkish State Theatres — took the stage to receive the Best Actress of the Year award for her role in Medea Material, she thanked State Theatres General Director Tamer Karadağlı:
“I would like to thank him for supporting me to keep acting while serving in my position.”
Her words triggered loud booing and whistling from the audience. Despite the protests, Işıtan continued, quoting Einstein:
“Breaking down prejudices is harder than splitting the atom.”
The tension escalated, and many artists and guests left the hall in protest. The moment was captured by attendees’ phone cameras and quickly spread across social media.
The Background: Conservatory Purges and Cultural Tensions
The backlash against Karadağlı stems from a controversy at Hacettepe University Ankara State Conservatory, where 12 faculty members were reportedly dismissed after being labeled “opposition” figures. The purge resulted in the conservatory beginning its academic year without stage arts instructors for the first time in 90 years, causing outrage in the theatre community. Many artists have described the process as a “period of purges in art.”
Medea Material — The Night’s Big Winner
Despite the political drama, Medea Material dominated the evening. The play by German playwright Heiner Müller, exploring myths and the traumas war inflicts on women and children, won five major awards:
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Best Play of the Year
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Best Director — Ayşe Emel Mesci
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Best Actress of the Year — Sükun Işıtan
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Best Lighting Design — Yakup Çartık
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Best Stage Design — Murat Gülmez
Special Awards
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Muhsin Ertuğrul Special Award: Metin Deniz
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Cevat Fehmi Başkut Special Award: Şamil Yılmaz (9/8’lik Kıyamet)
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Haldun Dormen Special Award: Tiyatro Afife & Zorlu PSM (Afife)
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Yapı Kredi Special Award: Mehmet Birkiye
(Haldun Dormen personally presented his award to Demet Evgar, who plays Afife on stage.)
Other Main Category Winners
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Best Actor of the Year: Oğulcan Arman Uslu (9/8’lik Kıyamet)
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Best Supporting Actress: Deniz Danışoğlu (BFF)
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Best Supporting Actor: Tekin Ezgütekin (Dublörün Dilemması)
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Best Emerging Artist: Mine Nur Şen (Yıldız)
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Best Costume Design: Candan Seda Balaban (Ağrı Dağı Efsanesi)
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Best Stage Music: Oğuzhan Balcı (Ağrı Dağı Efsanesi)
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Best Choreography / Movement Direction: İlyas Odman (Khôra)
The protests underscored deepening tensions in Turkey’s theatre world over censorship, political interference, and artistic independence. What should have been a celebratory night for theatre turned into a sharp reminder of the fragile balance between art and politics.
