Haji Gara
Theatre- Azerbaijan State Theatre of Young Spectators
- 20 Sep 2026 - 20 Sep 2026
More about QR tickets: QR ticket
Haji Gara
Age Recommendation: 16+
Author: Mirza Fatali Akhundzadeh
Stage Director: Jannat Salimova (People's Artist)
Adaptation: Dilsuz Mustafayev
Production Designer: Elshan Sarkhanoglu
Composer: Firudin Allahverdi
Choreographer: Gulmammad Shahverdiyev (Honored Artist)
Cast: People's Artist Yasin Garayev; Honored Artists Elnur Bahramkhan, Nasiba Eldarova, Gular Nabiyeva; actors Anar Seyfullayev, Shabnam Huseynova, Ramil Shamiloglu, Nurlan Suleymanli, Husniyya Ahmadova, Adalat Abdulsamad, Kerem Hadizade, Rashad Safarov, Huseyn Bayramov, Khaliq Bakirov, Tahir Ismayilov, Aydin Damirov, Yusif Dadashov, Imdad Tofiqoglu, Eldar Imanov, and Imran Gurbanov
Genre: Satirical Comedy
Running Time: One act – 1 hour 25 minutes
Based on Mirza Fatali Akhundzadeh's classic play The Adventures of the Miser (Sarguzashti-Mardi-Khasis), this contemporary adaptation by acclaimed writer Dilsuz Mustafayev reimagines the iconic character of Haji Gara from a modern perspective. In this new version, the traditionally miserly, greedy, and hypocritical merchant is transformed into an optimistic man who is willing to sacrifice his wealth for his friends. In an effort to present himself as an intellectual, Haji Gara even claims that renowned figures such as Mirza Fatali Akhundzadeh and Gasim bey Zakir are among his regular acquaintances.
The production is built around a dramatic triangle involving Haji Gara, Heydar Bey, and representatives of the imperial authorities. The central conflict arises from Haji Gara's desire to accumulate even greater wealth and Heydar Bey's desperate need for money to marry the woman he loves. The play's social and political themes are further developed through antagonistic characters such as Ohan Yuzbashi, Mkrtich, Arakel, and the Chief of Police (Nachalnik). Through the Chief's own words, the play exposes the imperial policy of oppression and manipulation, illustrating the cruelty and betrayal inflicted upon the Turkic peoples by the empire and its collaborators.
Heydar Bey is one of the most respected noblemen of Karabakh, admired not only for his family's wealth but also for his remarkable physical strength. After refusing to marry the woman chosen by his father, he is disinherited and forced to seek new ways to reunite with his beloved. Meanwhile, Sona Khanum's father intends to marry her off to a wealthy relative, despite her love for Heydar Bey. As these intertwined relationships become increasingly complicated, each character makes mistakes that create a series of misunderstandings and dramatic twists. It is through the resolution of these tangled situations that the comedy's satirical moments emerge.
Against the backdrop of social and political issues, the play explores themes such as imperial domination over Azerbaijan, parental control over their children's lives, and moral poverty. Ultimately, it suggests that spiritual and moral values are far more important than material wealth.
Filled with intelligent humor, elegant classical costumes, elements of Azerbaijani folklore, and striking stage design, Haji Gara is both an entertaining comedy and a thought-provoking social satire.
