I Wish To Die Singing | London Theatre: Stagedoor

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9 November 2020 · Follow on Stagedoor

“How much do you know about the Armenian genocide of 1915? Like me, probably not a lot. It’s not surprising because the Turkish government still refuses to admit that it happened or their role in the deaths of 1.5 million people from the Armenian Christian minority. But this one from the Finborough theatre’s archive is a fascinating documentary drama, written by Neil McPherson and directed by Tommo Fowler, that entwines poetry and personal testimony to bring a historical event vividly alive and which allows the voices of the dead and the traumatised survivors to speak down the years to us directly. It is a story that needs to be told and needs to be heard.”

Overview

Commemorating the centenary of the Armenian Genocide, the world premiere of a documentary drama from 2015, awarded the Best Play of the Year Award in the UK Studio Theatre Awards 2016.

“Who, after all, today remembers the annihilation of the Armenians?” – Adolf Hitler, 1939

Commemorating the centenary of the deportations that began the Armenian Genocide of 1915, I Wish To Die Singing – Voices From The Armenian Genocide is a controversial documentary drama uncovering the forgotten secrets of a denied genocide.

The Armenian Genocide of 1915-16 was perpetrated by the Ottoman Turkish Government against the Armenians, a Christian minority in a Muslim state. Up to one and a half million people died. To this day, the Turkish government refuses to admit that genocide ever took place.

Following the journey of several characters, I Wish To Die Singing includes eye-witness reportage, images, music, poetry from Armenia's greatest poets, and verbatim survivors testimonies from one of the greatest historical injustices of all time.