Fire destroys Ali Poyrazoğlu’s theater

ISTANBUL

A fire that broke out on the night of Dec. 19 in the warehouse of theater actor Ali Poyrazoğlu’s theater in Istanbul’s Sarıyer district destroyed more than 200 puppets and mask collections of the theater museum that Poyrazoğlu plans to establish, as well as the play decorations.

“My everything burned. It is very difficult for me. Our theater’s 50-year archive is gone. I was preparing for the museum. Paintings, more than 200 puppets, antique pieces are gone. It was the only puppet and mask collection in Türkiye. I have collected them from all over the world. There were also Ottoman puppets. A theater museum burned down with all its electronics, spots, lights... I can’t bring these together for 15 million Turkish Liras today. I’m thinking of starting from scratch. I have never given up in this life. I was attacked, they broke my rib, they stabbed me, I didn’t even close my theater for a day. I did other jobs due to economic hardships, but still continued this job,” the veteran actor said.

Poyrazoğlu said that the paintings of İbrahim Çallı and Fikret Mualla, the significant representatives of Turkish painting, were also burned: “We were preparing for the museum. This year, we were going to establish the Ali Poyrazoğlu Theater Museum and Foundation. We have come to this day with the support of my audience and colleagues. I can’t stop after this, keep going.”

Poyrazoğlu also said that the decor of the play “Şıngır Şıngır Beyoğlu,” which he will stage at the Watergarden Performance Center on Dec. 23, was also burned.

“It burned yesterday, I started to make the decoration of the next play today. The play features the nostalgic Beyoğlu; now it is just nostalgia itself. We have other plays next in January. I won’t stop even for a single day. Puppets, masks and paintings burned. But I will start buying puppets tomorrow. I will also collect the remnants of the fire and exhibit under the title ‘Remains of the Fire.’ We have a 100-year history of theater, I have been involved in it for the last 50 years. So I don’t give up,” he said.