Ragıp Ertuğrul | President of Turkish Theatre Critics Association passes at 52

Ragıp Ertuğrul | President of Turkish Theatre Critics Association passes at 52

Dear Friends, Colleagues, Members of AICT-IATC, and theatre lovers around the world,

It is so difficult to find the right words at such moments.

Ragıp Ertuğrul, President of the Turkish Theatre Critics Association has passed away at the age of 52. He was too young and too enthusiastic to die! He suffered from lymphatic cancer, and he fought courageously this last month. All our prayers were with him, but he could not defeat the disease. Life may be merciless and unjust!

Ragıp Ertuğrul, graduated from Istanbul University Theatre Criticism and Dramaturgy Faculty. He started as a theatre actor in 1988 but moved quickly to directing and then to theatre criticism. He was chosen as the President of the Turkish Theatre Critics Association in 2015. From that time, he was dedicated to promoting theatre, to its independence and to freedom of expression in theatre.

We are in deep sorrow for his loss. We shall always remember him with his kind, friendly, delicate, sensitive, and rich personality. His memory will live forever in our hearts.

– Submitted by Jeffrey Eric Jenkins, drafted by Zeynep Oral, Founder and Honorary President of Turkish Theatre Critics Association, Honorary Vice President, International Association of Theatre Critics (AICT-IATC)