Bones in the Desert

Two lives. One past. A hundred years apart. A story that refuses to stay buried.

Berlin, 2022. Artur, a 19-year-old refugee, is trapped between worlds, haunted by memories of fleeing the Syrian civil war. When someone from that journey reappears, their joyful reunion unravels into a powerful reckoning with identity, belonging and the cost of silence.

Spanning the deserts of 1915 to the turbulence of today, Bones in the Desert confronts the long shadows of war and the lives it still shapes. With raw honesty and urgency, it confronts mental well-being, racism in contemporary Europe and the devastating cost of silence.

Written by British-Armenian playwright Joe Nerssessian, this powerful new play speaks directly to young adult audiences with heart, humour and an unflinching gaze. It’s about where we come from, who we carry with us and what it means to belong.

Presented in an immersive style with a pulsating contemporary soundtrack, Bones in the Desert is the latest production from Half Moon, the UK’s leading small-scale young people’s venue and touring company.

After the performance there is an onstage Q&A session with the company.

The 7pm performance on Saturday 14 November is co-hosted with the Armenian Institute.

Explore the Bones in the Desert tour dates

Bones in the Desert is supported by The Benlian Trust.