Festival Of NEw Choreography
Royal Ballet
Premiere Royal Opera House, London
February 2024
Common Ground(S)
Pina Bausch Foundation, Ecoles des Sables, Sadler’s Wells
Premiere Teatros Del Canal, Madrid, Spain
September 2021
HOW DID WE GET HERE?
Julie Cunningham Company
Sadler’s Wells, January 2023
THE MEANING OF ZONG
Tom Morris / Giles Terera. Bristol Old Vic, April 2022
YORKE Dance Project
Past Present Royal Opera House, November 2021
RADC
Brahms Hungarian and Detour Sadler’s Wells Theatre, March 19
SADLER’S WELLS
The Times interview
By Debra Craine- Nov 18
Royal Ballet’s festival gives classically trained makers a space to spread their wings, with length, large ensembles and strong design. Zeynep Kepekli’s gloriously responsive lighting is key to all four ballets
https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2024/feb/16/festival-of-new-choreography-review-the-royal-ballet-spreads-its-wings#:~:text=It%27s%20glowingly%20lit%20in%20burnt,handclaps%20and%20delicately%20fluting%20wrists.
The lighting designer, who excelled for the evening, was Zeynep Kepekli. She is a London-based lighting designer who works worldwide on different dance, opera, theatre, and ballet projects and is influenced by nature, geography and architecture.
https://www.london-unattached.com/festival-of-new-choreography-new-works-royal-ballet/
Zeynep Kepekli, lighting designer throughout, infuses the stage with welcome warmth.
https://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/new-works-boun-royal-opera-hou-22993
“The work begins at daybreak, the pair sitting with their backs to the audience, holding a spear between them and watching the sunrise, beautifully conjured by lighting designer Zeynep Kepekli.”
https://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/pina-bausch-germaine-acogny-malou-airaudo-the-rite-of-spring-common-grounds-review-at-edinburgh-playhouse
“As it begins they are seated on stools, their backs facing us and holding a pole upright between them, with Zeynep Kepekli’s lighting signalling the dawning of a new day as the sky turns from pink to blue.”
https://www.danceaustralia.com.au/reviews/review-rite-of-spring/common-grounds-s
Incredible score by Fabrice Bouillon LaForest and lighting design by Zeynep Kepekli for common ground[s] with set and costumes by Rolf Borzik for The Rite of Spring, the entire creative and technical team should be, and so graciously were, applauded for their tremendous work on bringing this piece to life in Adelaide.
https://www.theatretravels.org/post/review-the-rite-of-spring-common-ground-s-at-her-majesty-s-theatre
“Zeynep Kepekli’s lighting subtly rises and falls, at times achieving a becomingly subdued radiance. It ends in a state of ease and well-being, with our starry trio together on the floor bathed in the amber glow of a constellation of lightbulbs. Beautiful.”
https://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/how-did-we-get-here-review-at-sadlers-wells-london-starring-melanie-c
“The rectangular performance space was such a pool of black reflective floor that it seemed as if we could dive into it and periodically, the excellent lighting designs of Zeynep Kepekli offered an indication of the universe around the auditorium contrasting with the exposed intimacy of the performance.”
https://bachtrack.com/review-how-did-we-get-here-julie-cunningham-and-company-sadlers-wells-january-2023
“One feels otherworldly throughout. This is also supported no end by Zeynep Kepekli's lighting design. I won't go into detail as I don't want to take away from the original experience you'll have if you see a performance, but if you've seen the film Interstellar you'll feel very at home.”
https://www.gramilano.com/2023/01/review-julie-cunningham-how-did-we-get-here
”An arena format can be tricky to light but Zeynep Kepekli’s spots skewer the dancers without bleeding light on to the audience, allowing Stevie Stewart’s painted unitards to glow in the dark. The mirror shine of the black stage creates limpid reflections that multiply and enrich the floorwork”
https://www.ft.com/content/0f9a79ba-41a5-473d-a2c2-c75640599f5c
“Morris' co-vision has produced a production that makes more impact than the text. It's visually and aurally powerful in Dave Price's sound design and Zeynep Kepekli's painterly lighting states and contains some stonking performances.”
https://www.whatsonstage.com/bristol-theatre/reviews/giles-tereras-the-meaning-of-zong-at-bristol-old-v_56289.html
“Edd Mitton’s solo is simple, grounded, contemplative. I’m reminding myself it was made during lockdown, so no wonder. Freya Jeffs in long red gown and Yorke-Edgell crisscross the stage and then Jeffs performs another private solo, and I see Graham’s lament. Then comes Tappon’s hyperactivity to energising music (Nils Frahms and Ólafur Arnalds), with Zeynep Kepekli’s lighting playing a major role.”
https://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/past-present-l-linbury-theatre-20448
“Under Zeynep Kepekli's bright and warm lighting, the dancers sweep onto the stage for pas de deux, brief solos and full ensembles” “clear syncopated beats adding to the disquieting atmosphere, which is enhanced by sombre, moody lighting by Zeynep Kepekli.” https://www.culturewhisper.com/r/dance/richard_alston_dance_quartermark_sadlers/12970
“It’s all complimented by Zeynep Kepekli’s clever lighting that fragments as it falls on the floor beneath the dancers feet.”
http://www.seeingdance.com/richard-alston-dance-company-18102018/
“Zeynep Kepepli’s clever lighting design fragments the space beneath the dancers’ feet creating a sci-fi atmosphere on stage.”
http://blog.dancedirect.com/2019/02/15/richard-alston-dance-company-celebrates-its-25th-anniversary-with-quartermark/
“Silences, held poses and precise timing, an exploration of space and planetary ambiance under Zeynep Kepekli’s crosshatched moody lighting: nine dancers orbit like interactive particles, spinning in an abstract universe, organic and intricate in its simplicity.” “Kepekli’s lighting shifts the mood and the time of day.”
https://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/detour-quarte-sadler-s-wells-17236
“Creating something epic on stage is not daunting,’ says Kepekli, who cut her teeth working on the venue’s touring shows for several years before landing in London. ‘It’s exciting.'
“Right now she’s wrestling with Gormley’s vision for Icon, which will be performed on Friday night by GoteborgsOperans Danskompani. ‘It’s a lot of preparation,’ Kepekli says.
Is it a case of bigger is always better? Certainly an overpowering stage illusion, something dramatically alters the landscape of the dance can enhance the viewing experience. But as Kepekli says, ‘your eye quickly adjusts and the set almost disappears, What you are left with is the emotional side of things, and ultimately that’s what matters’ “
RADC
Buzzing Around The Hunisuccle New Wimbledon Theatre February 2013
“Zeynep Kepekli’s lighting draws attention to itself, changing from dark to bright, rendering the performers anonymous.” https://dancetabs.com/2013/02/richard-alston-dance-company-buzzing-round-the-hunisuccle-premiere-and-bill-london/
“Alston’s Buzzing Round the Hunnisuccle gains an extra dimension from Zeynep Kepekli’s lighting of the stage floor.” https://oxforddancewriters.wordpress.com/2013/05/05/richard-alston...-oxford-playhouse-30th-april-1st-may-2013-maggie-watson-reviews/
RADC
Darkness Visible Robin Howard Dance Theatre February 2013
“a solo dance that is offset by darkness and shadow, very effectively lit by Zeynep Kepekli” http://londondance.com/articles/reviews/richard-alston-dance-company/#.UG7HXnu9OmU.facebook
“balances held the attention amidst Zeynep Kepekli’s minimal lighting.” https://dancingreview.wordpress.com/2012/10/04/at-home-richard-alston-dance-company-the-place-london-3-october-2012/