The 10th Amed Theatre Festival hosted the Armenian-language play “My Heart’s in the Highlands” by William Saroyan, performed by the independent theatre collective Hangardz.

Organised by Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality City Theatre (DBŞT), the 10th Amed Theatre Festival featured the Armenian play “My Heart’s in the Highlands” by William Saroyan, staged by the independent theatre collective Hangardz.

‘The play gently recalls the struggle for existence’

Directed by Tara Demircioğlu and Yeğya Akgün, the play invites the audience to reflect on concepts such as roots, land, memory, belonging and longing. With characters who embrace each other with compassion, the play gently reminds us of our shared struggle for existence in a cultural city subjected to efforts of erasure in every respect.

The cast of “My Heart’s in the Highlands” included Antranik Bakırcıoğlu, Artun Gebenlioğlu, Bared Çil, Diana Çilingiryan, Dikran Peştemalcıgil, Miranda Şahinoğlu, Garine Maral Çizmeciyan, Lara Narin, Nışan Şirinyan, Sevada Haçik Demirci and Yeğya Akgün.

Plaques Presented to the Cast

At the end of the performance, which received great applause from the audience, Gaffur Türkay, a board member of the Diyarbakır Surp Giragos Armenian Church Foundation, presented plaques to the cast in appreciation.

Panel Discussion Held

Following the play, a discussion was held on the production, moderated by Tahir Baykuşak, Head of the Unit for Language Preservation at the Department of Culture and Social Affairs. The session explored the questions: “Is language a barrier?”, “What happens when we do not understand the language?”, and “Is language a bridge?”