In Conflict

Portraying a passionate subject about a passionate war, “In Conflict” puts the Iraq War into perspective in this Off-Broadway production. Yvonne Latty, the brains behind this play, captures the personal accounts of seventeen soldiers who serve or have served in the war, and brings them to the public. There is much confusion and hidden information from the American people about the war. People do not know what to believe anymore. Are we winning? Are we losing? Are we doing the right thing? With its wonderful script, casting and setting, “In Conflict” succeeds at conveying the ambiguities of the war and exposing them to the public eye.
As the play starts off, images of the American flag can be seen on the stage and on the flat- screens around it. Truly, a sense of patriotism is evoked in the audience. A group of seventeen soldiers enters the scene, and throughout the two hours of the play, we listen to each of their accounts of their role in the Iraq War. As involved or not involved in politics and international affairs as you may be, the stories grip your interest immediately. A combination of deeply emotional and sad stories and ones that are courageous and uplifting create a great balance which really gives the play a good flow. In addition to the scripting, the music during the acts sets the mood as well.
What is most noticeable and probably deserves the most credit, however, is the excellent cast. As Latty described later in the talk-back session after the play, she chose soldiers of different socio-economic, political, gender, and racial backgrounds. This mix of profiles, from the poor African- American man living in the projects, to the white mid-western girl, enriched the play and created an appeal to everyone in the audience. The actors and actresses who represented the real-life soldiers performed with such enthusiasm and sincere emotion that it truly had an effect on the public. This was most evident when many members of the public had questions to ask during the talk-back with Yvonne Latty and Ty Simmons (one of the soldiers being portrayed) himself. Simmons even commented on how accurate the performance given by the young men and women was.
Yvonne Latty and director Douglas C. Wager have magnificently broken apart the lives of soldiers in the current Iraq War and assembled them on stage for the public to see. They have achieved their goal of opening the eyes of the public and showing them who really is in Iraq: ordinary people just like me and you. With great stage settings, and detailed and emotional script, and an inspired and motivated cast, “In Conflict” is truly a success.