Abstract
When the Turkish government mistook her play for a dress rehearsal for real-life events in Gezi Park, playwright
When playwright and author Meltem Arikan began writing her play Mi Minor, it was an attempt to capture the lives of ordinary people today as the relationship between citizens and the government rapidly changes. Across protest movements in the Middle East, North Africa and Europe, social media is helping to transform how people communicate about politics and culture, and this is one of the play’s themes.
During the summer of 2013, when the protests over Gezi Park were being broadcast and reported around the world, some of Turkey’s most powerful pro-government media found the new media challenging. Despite extensive research to ensure Mi Minor was truly international, Arikan was accused of using the play to stir up protests. Politicians attacked Arikan on social media and television, while members of the public were encouraged to join the campaign against her. She received a number of rape and death threats. She fled Turkey, fearing for her life, and is currently living in the United Kingdom.
She told Index in a recent interview: “After I got involved in social media I didn’t care about individual countries any more because I came to realize that interactions on social media happen regardless of the borders of distances, languages, nations, religions or ideologies. This inspired me to create a play.” The play is set in the fictional country of Pinima, where the president starts by banning the musical note Mi. It features a character called the Pianist, who defies the musical ban, and goes on to report on events in the country via Twitter. By doing this, he launches a role-playing game with the audience, who then choose to take part and support a game set out by the president or to side with the rebellious Pianist.
Before the play starts the Pianist sends a tweet: “I will be playing Chopin at the square. Please come or else watch me on Ustream.” She provides information about her emotional state plus the audience’s emotional state from her point of view.
What are you doing here?
I’m playing piano.
No…! Apparently you’re playing Chopin.
Yes. I’m playing Chopin’s 44th Mazurka.
As a woman, are you not ashamed to play men that you don’t know?
Digital Actor#1, in English, summarises what’s happening to the Pianist on the Ustream URL, and then sends a tweet.
Chopin is one of the most famous composers in the world.
Lying to the eyes of the government…
Lying?
How much older am I than you?
I have no idea.
Of course you have no idea. That’s what women are like…I’m at least 20 years older than you. If he were that famous I’d have known about him before you. I don’t know him so….
(Asks the policeman) Do you know the man?
No chief. I don’t know any famous person at all.
Did you hear that? He doesn’t know him too…could there be any celebrity the great government don’t know about?
There can’t be, chief.
This man is not famous at all. You say he is very famous? Ha? You confuse people’s minds and slyly poison our pure society with those noises. That man’s music is none of your business.
ABOVE: Meltem Arikan
The policeman walks in front of the piano and pushes the Pianist aside. He pulls police tape around the right side of the piano. And then he hangs a piece of paper that says “banned for use” onto the tape.
What are you doing?
From now on, that side of the piano is banned for use. You can only play this side. I would ban all of it but you should be thankful to the President. Despite everything, he is very merciful. Your place should be behind bars, anyway…dear girl, is it your business to play a foreign man…and in the middle of the street?
What are you talking about?
Don’t stare at me like that…whatever the President says goes. Are you questioning the decisions of the magnificent President? My President, he also gave orders to the manufacturers. From now on, all pianos will be shortened. They made this enormous instrument to make ting ting ting sounds. What a pity… its paint, nails, metals…these are all the national wealth of our government, national I say…also, from today, the playing of these men is also banned. Boy, move this away from here.
Bach, Mozart, Liszt, Beethoven, Chopin…
If you are a moral citizen, your telephone being listened to won’t disturb you. But if this disturbs you, it proves that you do secret and hidden things, which simply proves that your telephone must be listened to at all times
The Ustream goes off. The Pianist sends a tweet: “I can’t believe this. Treble sounds, pianos and playing Bach, Mozart, Chopin is forbidden.”
ABOVE: Turkish protesters, Taksim Square, July 2013. Though some media outlets claimed Mi Minor was a blueprint for protests against Gezi Park, playwright Meltem Arikan says the play is international in its focus
Credit: Georgi Licovski/EPA
The Pianist and the musicians return to their platform. The digital dialogues continue.
Good day and welcome. We’d like to share with you the highly important declaration that was given from the Presidential residence today. According to the declaration, our President hasn’t slept for 48 hours and he listened to the telephones of people whom he had randomly chosen. The President declared that this shall be done by him once a week. In his declaration, he underlined that in every country, the telephones are being listened to; however, they do it behind closed doors. It’s never announced to the public whose telephones are listened to. Whereas in our country what the President is doing, in the name of democracy and transparency, should be set as an example to the whole world. This method will make it easier to find the citizens who are abducted by the aliens and they will be treated immediately. As usual, we are now connecting to the square to hear the public opinion. Yes, we’re with you.
Okay, you’re with me. Hello, ladies and gentlemen, we are now asking the public what they think about our President’s declaration of listening to the telephones himself and making this a routine operation. What do you think about the declaration from the Presidential residence?
The musician comes next to the men and leans towards the microphone.
There are things called human rights and privacy, but this operation is absolutely against humanity, against democracy.
Look, you heard that, right? There you go; today the world is like this because of people who think like him. They say human rights, democracy, freedom but they always ask for some things to be kept confidential.
Excuse me sir, what are you talking about?
If you are a moral citizen, your telephone being listened to won’t disturb you. But if this disturbs you, it proves that you do secret and hidden things, and which simply proves that your telephone must be listened to at all times.
Pianist sends a tweet: “We will Ustream the speech of the president.” Digital Actor#1 translates it into English.
My people, I couldn’t wake up this morning because I didn’t sleep last night. I didn’t sleep because I thought for you, for your happiness, so I made a decision. Having many choices is not freedom. Minds confuse when choices increase. Choices lead to polarisations, polarisations to hostility. Therefore, I have decided that only two parties will participate in the elections. I am the presidential candidate for both parties. Public voice is very important in a democracy, that’s why I decided to have two parties. Even though you don’t speak, I hear you my people…Furthermore, ballot boxes, computers and officers being used during the elections will all be history. On Election Day, there will be a 500-metre long running race in the stadium between the two parties, and the party who wins the race will come to power. Running means to be resistant while going forward. From now on, the elections will not go to waste; on the contrary, it will be an actual race that you will all participate in with enthusiasm.
I’m guilty! I want to have freedom of thought and freedom of expression by getting away from all the oppressions of ideologies and religions.
I confess. By destroying the imposed thought patterns on me, I strive to think freely.
I’m guilty! I know that running away from realities is running away from pain.
I confess. All kinds of escape are generated by fear, nurtured by cowards. I do not accept being frightened.
I’m guilty! I do not accept any of the imposed restrictions upon me.
I confess. I draw the borders of my freedom myself.
I’m guilty! By questioning the things you had taught me again and again, I’m giving up on socialisation, on my family, on my beliefs. I confess, mother, wife, lover, I refuse all the roles you’ve imposed upon me.
I’m guilty! I choose to rebel in order to exist.
I confess, I do not find any of your words important.
I’m guilty! While in transition to the digital world order, I believe in the importance of the creation of new organisations. I confess, I strive for women and men to affirm their existence without belonging to any religion or any ethnicity and I strive for a free new world order.
Holds the Pianist’s both hands firmly, handcuffs her.
You have crossed the line now. No one can save you from my hands. Insult to the unity of sacred family in a public space…openly encouraging people to rebel in a public space…
He turns to the crowd gathered there.
There you see what corruption turns you into. Protect your children; otherwise the aliens will make them rebellions like this. Look and draw a lesson from it…
Translated by Pinar Ogun and Karl Mercer
