New immersive play explores the legacy of genocide, displacement and inherited trauma

Bones in the Desert, a new immersive play by British-Armenian playwright Joe Nerssessian, comes to Dallow Community Centre in Luton on Thursday 26 November 2026 showing at 14:00 and 18:30 as part of a national tour. Written for audiences aged 13+ and adults, the play explores the legacy of the Armenian genocide, displacement, inherited trauma and racism through the stories of two young men separated by a century. 

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 his journey reappears, their joyful reunion unravels into a powerful reckoning with identity, belonging and the cost of silence.  

Bones in the Desert is a Half Moon Theatre production, presented by Revoluton Arts. It is the first piece of theatre for young audiences by Joe Nerssessian, who took part in Half Moon’s Narratives of Empathy and Resilience art form development programme in 2021, to create stories that reflect our diverse community, as well as support under-represented artists in developing their practice. During that programme, Joe created a piece that became the jumping-off point for him to explore the Armenian genocide and Armenian identity. It developed into a work about two young boys, Bones in the Desert.  

Joe Nerssessian said: “Bones in the Desert is about the impact of inherited trauma, war, displacement and racism on a young man. Any stories which can reflect the experience of young people are valuable. You don’t have to be a survivor of a traumatic event yourself to be impacted. It can traumatise society at large, the people around you and, of course, future generations. I hope audiences can recognise how history can repeat itself and carry stories like this into their future with empathy, resilience and compassion.” 

Bones in the Desert is the latest production from Half Moon Theatre, the UK’s leading small-scale young people’s venue and touring company, winner of two Off West End Theatre Awards for Best Production for Young People Age 13+ (Crowded and What Once Was Ours). In collaboration with Revoluton Arts, a small but mighty arts charity making bold and ambitious art projects, the play will give Lutonians a memorable piece of immersive theatre. 

Revoluton's CEO and Creative Director, Lindsey Pugh, also had this to say: 

"We are excited to bring such vital work that is so socially and politically relevant, to Luton, and to present the show within a community space with deep connections to themes of journey, identity and belonging. The audiences we engage across our programme at Revoluton Arts failingly bring valuable insights and passion in response to the work they experience. We are looking forward to the ongoing conversation this show may spark." 

Bradley Travis, Producer of Bones in the Desert, and Artistic Director of Half Moon, said: “Theatre has a unique ability to take us beyond our own experiences and give us a genuine connection with the lives of other people. Bones in the Desert invites young people and adults to encounter stories of displacement, identity and inherited trauma in a way that is immediate, human and deeply personal. At a time when so much of our lives are experienced through screens, there is something powerful about stepping away from them, being in a room with other people and experiencing a story unfold right in front of you. That shared, live experience is what makes theatre so special.” 

Spanning 100 years from the deserts of 1915 to modern-day Berlin, the 60-minute story is told by two performers, Dara Anklesaria (Hagop) and Adam Seridji (Artur). It has direction by Chris Elwell (Ten in the Bed, Hot Orange and Daytime Deewane), who brings over 35 years of experience creating pioneering work for young adult audiences. The production features sound design and music by Tony and Olivier Award-nominated composer Nick Powell (The Ferryman, The Hills of California, The Lehman Trilogy, Wolf Hall). Lighting design is by Claire Childs, and the Technical Stage Manager is Emily Smith. 

The production tours 12 venues across England from 12 November to 2 December 2026. 

Tickets are FREE and available online at revolutonarts.com