Contemporary Plays from Iraq

With works from both established and emerging male and female playwrights, written in country and in exile, it offers current Iraqi perspectives on a war and occupation that have significantly impacted the Middle East and the rest of the world

Dealing exclusively with contemporary plays originating from Iraq, this unique anthology gives under-studied Arabic political theatre the attention it deserves and provides a general introduction that sets the plays within their cultural and historical contexts

The plays are preceded by introductions from the playwrights themselves, further enriching each piece for the enjoyment and understanding of the reader

It's introduced and translated by James Al-Shamma, Assistant Professor at Belmont University, US, and A. Al-Azraki, an Iraqi playwright.

The nine Plays in the Collection are ...

The Takeover ~ Hoshang Waziri

A Cradle ~ Abdul-Kareem Al-Ameri

Ishtar in Baghdad ~ Rasha Fadhil

Summer Rain ~ Abdel-Nabi Al-Zaidi

Romeo and Juliet in Baghdad ~ Monadhil Daoud Albayati

Me, Torture, and Your Love ~ Awatif Naeem

A Strange Bird on Our Roof ~ Abdul Razaq Al-Rubai

Cartoon Dreams ~ Kareem Sheghaidil

The Widow ~ A. Al-Azraki