he also exhibited an interest in theater while in high school. he had parts in several public performances, in the play "aktör kin" starring raşit rıza, as "üstad-ı sanî" in ahmet vefik paşa's moliere adaptation "zor nikâh" (le mariage forcé) staged by ercüment behzat lav in the ankara community center, and as the "father" in maurice maeterlinck's "monna vanna". kanık would keep up his involvement in theater in later years as a translator, translating many plays into turkish.