Guards at The Taj

It’s the year 1648 in Agra, the capital of the Mughal Empire, India. The two imperial guards and childhood friends, Humayun and Babur, keep watch during the finishing touches before the inauguration of the famous mausoleum. The Mughal (emperor) has decided that no one should turn to look at the new edifice until its completion, so this moment has been expected for 16 years and lived feverishly by the two. They will have the unique joy of admiring the beautiful building bathed in the first beams of sunlight while is it is still perfect and unweathered. But the contemplation of perfection has an enormous cost that Humayun and Babur will soon find out and that will test their relationship, which they considered indestructible.

The play contains elements from history and legend and touches upon generous and contemporary themes such as friendship, the purpose of art and human progress, but also social themes which have an ageless relevance. The world premiere took place with great success at the Atlantic Theatre in New York in 2015, and the play was awarded two prizes in the USA (The Obie Award and the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Play). It was also performed in London where it was highly appreciated by the public and the critics.

4 March 2018, International Theatre Festival “The Stage as a Street”, Reșița