Erbil theatre production explores loss, freedom, hope and homeland
A new theatre production titled A Light That Set the Sun was staged in Erbil to commemorate the anniversary of the Kurdistan independence referendum, with the attendance of officials and figures from the cultural and artistic community.
The play was presented by the General Directorate of Art and Culture of Erbil in partnership with the Directorate of Cinema and Theatre of Erbil as part of the city’s theatre season.
Written and directed by Jutyar Rafat, the play features Saya Hussein, Shnyar Baban and Goran Nazim in leading roles. The production uses a human story and symbolic language to explore themes of loss, loneliness, darkness, hope, freedom and homeland.
“The play ‘A Light That Set the Sun’ presents the story of two girls, portraying the human condition and its pains amid loss, loneliness, darkness and hope, and begins a human search for the meaning of life, freedom and homeland,” Rafat said.
The story begins after the two girls lose their father. They find themselves in a world between darkness and light, searching for answers to some of life’s deepest questions.
Through its symbolic scenes and emotional narrative, the play explores the inner experiences of the characters and the effects of pain and loss on their social and psychological lives.
The production was included in Erbil’s theatre season as part of efforts to bring historical and social themes into artistic expression. Through theatre, the organizers sought to connect the anniversary of the referendum with the memories, emotions and national sentiments associated with that period.
The play combines a personal story of loss with broader themes of freedom, identity and homeland, presenting the anniversary through the language of theatre and human experience.