It is rather well known that gay life in the Armenian capital of Yerevan is rather vibrant if still underground, but It is truly remarkable that Armenia’s third largest city Vanadzor (pop. 107,394) is the location for a new gay-themed play, “MetastaZ.”

More info via Unzipped: Gay Armenia:

It’s my personal impression that theatre life in Armenia sees its kind of new revival. And it’s not only classical theatre but alternative one too. Experimental theatre has its regular scheduling at the NPAK or other venues. HighFest festival brings to Armenia cutting edge performances from within the country and abroad, e.g. by English playwright Mark Ravenhill.

Then he quotes PinkArmenia:

The most interesting fact is that a performance based on real facts of two homosexuals was played in the third city of Armenia and not Yerevan.The main goal of the director was not the elucidation of the theme of homosexuality and drugs in general, but the torture of the people, having a pain arisen by treachery. The same can overtake each of us like it happened to the heroes of performance “MetastaZ”. […]

The most part of public has been shocked and admired from professional acting and director’s work of performance, and some others experienced a shock, proceeding from basic reasons and traditional mentality: “How can it be possible, we are Armenians, not homos?” […]

There are video clips of the performance here and one is below: