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By the Rivers of Babylon

by

Peter Sutton

To be read by awl on Monday 30th January 2006

In 1915, the majority of the two million Armenians living in Turkey were expelled from their homes and deported to the Syrian desert, and many of those enlisted in the Turkish army were shot. The total number who died in these actions is disputed, and is put at anything from several hundred thousand to a million and a half. The survivors never returned.

The play follows these events through the story of one family in one town, and of its relations with a Turkish official who has long been their friend. As the war progresses, violence against the Armenian minority increases, until anguished questions are asked about belief in God, about the causes of hatred, about kindness, about historical truth, about friendship and duty, and about the relations between different ethnic, religious and linguistic communities.

 

The minimum number of actors is 4 M, 3 F and a young boy (M/F)
Armenians:  
Gohar Petrossian, early 40s
A widowed shopkeeper
  
Grigor, 23
Her son
  
Mariam, 14
Her daughter
  
Haik, 7-10
Her son
  
Anoush, 19
Grigor's new wife
  
Uncle Aram
Gohar’s brother-in-law
  
An Armenian fighter
  
Turks & Kurds:  
Tariq, 50
The mayor of the town where Gohar and her family live
  
Turkish Army Captain
  
Two gendarmes
  
Army officer
  
Army sergeant
  
Gunner
  
Soldier
  

Arabs:

  
Arab Woman
  
Directed by
 Martin Cort
The first act of this play was presented in our "Shall I Go On?" format on 4th July 2005. Click here for cast list.

 

  

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