Before the wise man thinks, the madman will cross the river. (Folk saying)
During the years of the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-78, Armenians were full of hope that with the victory of the Russians, Western Armenia would be freed from the Turkish yoke.
Bayezed fortress is besieged. A small number of Armenian and Russian troops are standing against the Kurdish and Turkish army of thousands. If the fortress of Bayazed falls, the Muslims will quickly enter Yerevan and then Tiflis. There is no water or food in the citadel. The number of sick and wounded is gradually increasing. The Turks massacre the surrounding Armenian population. Vardan, the madman himself, furiously follows the Armenians who volunteer to be slaughtered. It is necessary to get the letter asking for help out of the encirclement of the enemy and deliver it to the general of the Russian army, Ter-Ghukasov. Vardan dares to take on the responsibility of execution. He goes around pretending to be a crazy Kurdish clown and collects information about the enemy army, then delivers the letter to the general. Another crazy person is Mikael Dudukjian, an educated young man from Poland who selflessly preaches struggle and national consciousness. He walks from village to village, tries to establish schools and fundamentally change the way of thinking of Armenians. Melik-Mansour is also a supporter of the struggle, and he supplies information and weapons while pretending to be a fighter.
A year before the events. Alashkert province is living its normal daily life. The multi-member patriarchal family of the landlord Khacho is also at peace. Armenian figures from different parts of the country often gather under his roof and discuss the situation of the Armenian people and the ways to get out of that situation. Peace, however, is relative. On the one hand, Kurds led by Fattah Bek are constantly robbing Armenians, on the other hand, Armenian tax collector Thomas Efendi is oppressing his own people. Vardan and Mikael Dudukjian were hosted at the house of the landlord Khacho, finding like-minded people in the form of his two sons. The youngest of the children of landlord Khacho is the beautiful Lala, who is dressed in boy's clothes and called Stepanik. Vardan and Lala love each other. The fact that the latter is a girl is hidden in order to keep her away from the evil intentions of the Kurds. However, both Fattah Bey and Thomas Effendi know that Lala is a girl and have an eye on her. The latter becomes the reason for the disintegration of the prosperous family of the landlord Khacho. The war begins, and in order to escape the Turks' massacres, the entire Alashkert province takes the path of migration. In order not to fall into the hands of Kurd Bey and Tomas Effendu, Lala leaves Eastern Armenia together with the emigrants. As a result of Thomas Effendu's machinations, Mikayel Dudukjian is arrested and the whole family of the landlord Khacho is tortured by the Turks. After delivering the letter to Ter-Ghukasov, Vardan rushes to find Lala.
Author of the play: Suren Harutyunyan
Staging artist: Garegin Evangulyan, Honored Art Worker of RA
Dress designer: Marina Tadevosyan
Composer: Vahan Artsruni
Choreographer: Anahit Enokyan
Directed by Davit Harutyunyan
Artistic adviser: RA people artist: Hrachya Gasparyan
Director of the theater: Emin Torosyan