One of the best places for fall in İstanbul, in Anatolian side’s sea shore we spend a joyful, long day together and when I was leaving I was full of happiness because of knowing a wonderful woman. There is a sincere conversation in our pages and Mehtap Bayrı’s energery that we tried to fit into a frame with the best lights of the day.
How is life going currently?
Nothing much. Latest happenings effected everyone’s psycology bad. Our own worries are not priorities anymore. Everything lost their meanings. Ofcourse life goes on. We try to life while doing our own parts.
Life is not going so well for the lands that you live in so.
No it’s not. When I look at the big picture now, it’s not importan if it’s going individual.
So, what’s going on?
Look, we made it. We have little timeouts in life. Except from that work still goes on. That’s what’s going on. About soul, nothing is… Everything goes rough-and-thumbe. My work life is quite well actually, Kertenkele continues. We have a play in fifth season “Benimle delirir misin?”. A couple’s comedy with two actors. For five years we tell stories about men and women with comedy. The play goes very well with audience. We tour foreign countries in Europe. Fifth season started in October. And a movie is coming, a Türkan Şoray movie!
Where does Mehtap Bayrı goes hard on herself?
It’s so hard someone to explane herself. For me, love is the most important emotion. Primary… But it’s not about just a man, there are nature, animals … When I do something with love the joy I get from live increases. I want to hug whole nature, world. I love nature so much. I still like man too.
Let’s start from the beginning. Where did your life start and where did it get it’s form? How was the lady inside of you that you met while you were discovering yourself? Or how was that little girl and how did it transfom a woman?
I studied at a boarding school and it’s so hard and so easy in the same time. For me it wasn’t an easy time. Beacouse of my romantic nature and imaginary world.
Were your family living in İstanbul in that era?
No. They were living in Düzce. I studied in here.
What did it change in your life?
I was living with a lot of young girls. It’s good to see them still. There are no friends that I can put their places in my life because they are witnesses of my teenage times. So, studying in a boarding school is a strange experience and sometimes painful. For example my fear of the dark occured. I managed to control it after years. One day I went to take a shower and told my friends if electricity goes you’ll come to my side whatever. Like a bird in a cage I threw myself with screams, naked. It’s an unbelievable fobia. After that they dressed me and took me to hospital .
How could you manage to overcome that fobia?
Well, I’m so talkative today. OK, let’s explane. I was in love. I left the city after that. I said “OK, take it,”. It was either me or him would live in that city. I left Eskişehir to him and went to Kaş. I said I’ll overcome that fear also. I arrived to Kaş and there was a great thunder. Nothing like that happened in Kaş for years. I invented a tactic all by myself. Everydah I lit candles. First I started with six and the other day five, four… In the end, I didn’t light any candles and spend time with the light that comes from street. So, I overcame that fear.
Was conservarory a conscious desicion?
It was my only conscious desicion. If I couldn’t make it I would prefer psychology. Because it’s based from people… Fortunately I preferd theatre. I’m very lucky about that.
How did you start working? With theatre?
I wanted to go oon in theatre. For example I wanted to be a teacher in conservatory. But after I left Eskişehir, I came to istanbul with a luggage and a cat. I didn’t know anyone in that time because I studied in Eskişehir. I was so introvent in school time. Private televisions were new. I didn’t know anyone from industry. I came İstanbul with a soul of warrior. I recorded dubbings for pocket money. After that we made a camera jokes show with Erkan Petekkaya. No one remembers, it was on TGRT. I hope no one remembers. It was so hard to me. You go and make a joke to someone and he believes After that you say “Sorry, it was a joke. It was hard but I had to earn money. And then I met with Osman Sınav.
And then Deli Yürek happened right?
Yes. Now when I look, if the social media was existing in that time, everything would be so different.
You were a phenomenon.
Yes, indeed. Because Deli Yürek is still have a place in people’s memories. Many years gone but when I go to Anatolia they say “Deli Yürek’s sister Nazlı” Ekmek Teknesi was also something like that.
These times belong to social media celebrities. What do you think about online world?
Yes, social media is so powerful. I use a little today. I’m more like a letter person. I love touching, being able to touch. I love looking at someone’s eyes and hug an old lady. It’s in it’s name; virtual. I can not touch, you can not. In this century, virtual world is very effective but I’m not one of them I think.
On one side “Benimle Delirir misin” play goes on. Is it possible in Turkey, make a living with theater only?
Theatre is the real arena. After long time Asuman Dabak pushed me and I found myself on a theatre stage. You nourish from audience’s looks, claps and laughters. Gain depends on institutions. But generally, it’s not possible to make a good living with only playing in theatre. There are no greaat amounths of money.
What do you want to say about “Uzaklarda Arama”? How many movies that you took a part in?
I don’t remember the excact number but I started with “Filler ve Çimen”. Uzaklarda Arama is a Türkan Şoray movie. Türkan Şoray directed it and I’m in this project also. I feel very lucky. We worked in a peaceful, relaxed set and a sincere, warm work came out. I didn’t watch the final cut. I’m also curious about it. Onur Ünlü wrote the screenplay. It’s a movie which has no time and place. Neriman –her character- had it’s form with Türkan Şoray. As an actrees I left myself to Türkan. Shootings lasted about eight weeks and I didn’t come İstanbul. Didn’t want to change the atmosphere. Like the movie time and place stopped for me also. I didn’t check the calendar. Türkan Şoray has a soul that makes you it’s addict in a good way. I told her aslo she has an amazing aura and you just want to be around her. I can not define completely but we were in a fairytale. Sultan of Turkey, Yeşilçam’s magnificent woman reflected her soul with this amazing work. If Türkan Şoray make 6 movies, I would like to be in all of them.
Do you read? What can you advise to us?
I can not give up from reading Oğuz Atay. I like Edip Cansever and Jean Genet. Ahmet Sami, Yusuf Atılgan. I read and discover those men’s works again again and.
We talked about your writings, what do you write?
Actually I don’t know either. I don’t share with a lop of people also. Some say poetry, some say your one sentence is like an essance of a novel. I define them as expression of my feelings. Expressions of my living, feeling. I don’t know if I would publish them. I want to and plan also. May be something different and new; a novel or story. I will do that but when it’s time come. Like a woman’s scream.
So, story of a woman?
I can not say a woman’s story but it’s more like an expression of some woman hu’s been hurt because of love.
Do you have a dream like directing a movie like Türkan Şoray?
I can not be on that scale. Everyone has a story. Me too. Every woman, every man. Nowadays being an actress makes me much more happy. I don’t know what would I think tomorrow.
So, let’s talk about İstanbul.
I like Samatya a lot. I love walking in this city. I walk ever since I could remember. Especially early Sunday mornings, while people still go on with the Saturday night fever. Every season. I like walking in winter. I was in love with Beyoğlu once. I love Galata, Prince’s Islands, Anatolian Side’s Bosphorus line. I lived in Bosphorus for a long time. Every year pink flowers appear on the stones in the way from Anadolu Hisarı to Kanlıca, I always collect them. I love cycling.
Do you prefer bicycle in your daily life for transportation?
I wish I could but I don’t trust traffic. That’s why I don’t have the courage. I ride in the seaside mostly.
Are there any places that you prefer for wine & dine?
My house. I prepare extraordinary breakfasts. Currently I don’t do regularly. I’m a woman of parties. I like having my friends at my home. I love making people meeting with others. For İstanbul, I love discover new places. For me, conversation is as much important as flavor. So energy of a place and the ones who work there is important to me.
Is there a spesific place that you feel your pains of love?
Everywhere.
Which sentence tells your İstanbul best?
İstanbul is like a bride who waits to kiss.
Where has the most beautiful sunset in the city?
My heart.
