2026 Audience Reviews

Company: Tiyatro Misafir
Show: KISMET
Venue: Rarig Nolte Xperimental Theatre

A Little Kolonya, A Lot of Kismet

Kismet stayed with me because of the remarkable talent of Didem Ruhi Karci and Talha Karci and the way they captured the small, instantly recognizable idiosyncrasies of Turkish culture: the calming smell of kolonya, the communal pride in Turkish towels and baklava, the raised eyebrows of a stern father, the endless worries of a caring mother, and the extended family that will support you wholeheartedly, but only up to a point. With little more than shifts in voice and mannerisms and a handful of simple props, the two actors move effortlessly between characters and make an entire world come alive on stage. At its heart, though, Kismet captures something even more deeply familiar: an unwavering belief in fate and the stubborn optimism that something better may always be just around the corner. It is a lovely testament to Emily Dickinson’s “hope is the thing with feathers” and to the wonderfully Turkish conviction that sometimes you simply have to believe in kismet.