Lory in Ha! Ha! Land
The divine comedy of writer, actor, and producer Lory Tatoulian
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May 06, 2009
AYA Lebanon's Vahram Papazian Drama Group Presents "God, Don't Forsake Us"
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A scene from the Papazian Theater Group's gala presentation of Jirair Ananian's "Der, Mi Toghour Mez Ander" (God, Don't Forsake Us) on March 1, 2009 in Beirut, Lebanon. -
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AGBU-AYA Vahram Papazian Theater Group actors and Committee members with Prof. Yervant Ghazanchian after the gala performance of 'Der, Mi Toghour Mez Ander' (God, Don't Forsake Us) on March 1, 2009.
To open the 2009 season, the Vahram Papazian Theater Group of AGBU-AYA Lebanon gave the first presentation of "Der, Mi Toghour Mez Ander" (God, Don't Forsake Us), a two-act, modern-day tragi-comedy by the talented Armenian playwright Jirair Ananian, at the Hagop Der Melkonian Hall on February 26, 2009. Subsequent performances, including a gala presentation on March 1, were staged over the following two weekends. This production coincides with the golden jubilee of the Papazian Theater Group, which was founded in 1959 by a group of AGBU-AYA members.
In charge of the production was Prof. Yervant Ghazanchian, veteran theatrical director from Armenia who has been directing the group for the past decade.
Ananian's plays have been frequently staged in Armenia and, to a certain extent, in the diaspora. The theme of this play, despite being based on the post-independence realities of the Republic of Armenia, bears a great similarity to the psychological states witnessed by the Armenian communities of the Middle East, where the impact of political unrest and emigration are chronic problems. The play depicts a clash in a family when the father refuses to leave his ancestral soil, while his wife follows her brother's directive to emigrate because the country is facing food shortages and high unemployment.
Set in a stark apartment, the play is animated by the comings and goings of its characters, who live in a society struggling to maintain their high ideals in the face of harsh on-the-ground realities. The 17 experienced and first-time actors who participated in the Papazian production delighted audiences with their energy and skill.
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