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Bones in the Desert

For ages 13+ and young adults

Calendar Icon 12 Nov 2026 - 17 Nov 2026
Age Rating IconAges 13+
Clock Icon60 minutes

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.

Book tickets

Content Warnings

  • This production explores difficult historical and contemporary themes unflinchingly. It contains graphic descriptions of violence, including sexual assault, hate speech, historical accounts of mass atrocities and frank depictions of contemporary sectarian conflict.

  • References to sex, alcohol and drug use, suicide, misogyny and associated sexual violence, overt racism and poor mental health.

  • This is an immersive theatre experience where the audience stands and moves around in close proximity to other audience members and the actors. At times, the soundtrack will be loud and reflect sounds and noises depicting violence, protest and discrimination.

Details

Please note: Bones in the Desert is an immersive production. There is no assigned seating and audiences stand throughout the performance. If you have any access requirements please contact the box office on tickets@halfmoon.org.uk

Performances on Friday 13, Monday 16 and Tuesday 17 November are currently being held for local schools. Once we have confirmed numbers, we will release tickets to the general public. Until then, please join the waiting list.

For schools’ booking please contact androulla@halfmoon.org.uk

All performances are relaxed performances and blind and visually impaired audiences can pre-book touch tours prior to all performances.

Find out more about how to find usaccess and some FAQs about your visit.

If the show you want to see is sold out, you can join our waiting list and we will get in touch if any tickets become available.

Box Office Terms and Conditions

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