Ümmiye Koçak prepares new play on addiction impacts

Ümmiye Koçak, founder of the Arslanköy Women's Theater Group in Mersin, is preparing a new play titled ‘Anne, elimi bırakma’ (Mother, don't let go of my hand) to address the impact of drug and alcohol addiction on families.

Inspired by witnessing the spread of substance abuse into rural villages, Koçak wrote and directed the play to highlight how addiction affects entire family units rather than just the individual. The drama follows a family with a son struggling with drug addiction and a father with alcohol dependency, focusing on the resulting trauma experienced by the other family members, particularly a daughter.

Koçak aims to use the production to raise awareness among youth and families regarding the dangers of addiction and intends to perform the play throughout Turkey.