Tac'ın Nöbetçileri

"The Guardians of Taj" tells a dark myth said to have taken place during the construction of the Taj Mahal. The story centers around two low-ranking soldiers, Humayun and Babur, who are childhood friends. These two soldiers are tasked with guarding the entrance to the Taj Mahal, ensuring that no one sees it before its official opening. This seemingly insignificant duty unexpectedly changes the lives of these two innocent men.

According to legend, before the opening of the Taj Mahal, its architect, Ustad Isa Shirazi, requested that he and the 20,000 workers who had worked on the construction be allowed to tour the Taj Mahal. The emperor of the time, Shah Jahan, who had commissioned the mausoleum in memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, considered this request to be disrespectful. As a result, he issued a decree: no structure more beautiful than the Taj Mahal should ever be built, and the hands of the 20,000 workers who had built the Taj Mahal should be cut off.

The game centers around this legend, and this dramatic mission is assigned to two innocent soldiers who have no strategic importance within the army. The lives of these two characters, caught in a triangle of status, friendship, and duty, are turned upside down as a result of an adult's whim. While the game focuses on the relationship between friends, it also highlights the consequences of the system's pressure on the characters. Furthermore, the game doesn't shy away from posing philosophical questions to the audience, such as "Is a better world possible?" and "Is beauty a concept with an inevitable end?"

"The Watchmen of Tac" presents the poignant story of two childhood friends, Humayun and Babur, in a darkly comedic and frank manner.

"Can you imagine? Being so far away? It probably doesn't even look that much smaller than that faint light over there. That's how small we are..."

"Fairy tales are for children, not for imperial guards!"

"We'll live in the forest, just you and me. Far away from everything, away from the world, and then no one will ever be able to harm us. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Written by: Rajiv Joseph.
Translated by: Sami Berat Marçalı
Directed by: Çağrı Şensoy.
Players: Semih Ertürk | Hüseyin Sevimli
Set Design: Çağrı Şensoy.
Lighting Design: Sefa Hanedan.
Sound Design: Eser Eyüboğlu
Assistant Directors: Özgür Karaböcek | Kadir Yıldırım
Poster Design: Çağdaş Başar.
Photo: Çağdaş Başar.