Blurb Aftermath

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March 20, 2003. A date that the ordinary people of Iraq will never forget. A day that changed their lives forever. The day the Americans arrived in their country. This pass week I saw the mind blowing show Aftermath in the New York City Theatre Workshop. After great reviews from one of my friends who had previously seen it, I decided to go as well.

They play was about the testimony of 37 Iraqi refugees who fled from Iraq and were currently living in Jordan their play tells six stories to illustrate the emotional and physical toll the war has exacted. The play started off with some of the characters opening their narrative in their native tongue, Arabic, and then segueing into English. The characters where basically middle class citizens. Some of the these include a theater director and his wife, a visual artist, a pharmacist, a dermatologist, an Iman, husband and wife cooks, and a young mother.

When one sat in the theatre, a sense of intimacy was present. The Iraqi’s were very hospitable, offering tea and coffee to the American interviewers and essentially the audience. I thought this was a bit ironic because it was because of the Americans that they were telling their tragic stories. Their living room and atmosphere was comfortable. The Iraqis often took out pictures while discussing their past. Before the Americans arrived to Iraq, the families presented themselves living in a harmonious world that is peaceful and fulfilling. The entire first act was calm and peaceful.

As the acts progressed from the first, second to lastly the third, the situation in Iraq got worse. In the end we heard stories about bombings, killings, torture and corruption. Their take on the Iraq war, from the little-heard perspective of ordinary citizens, is a powerful eye-opener. We see that with all that they have endured, they haven’t lost their enthusiasm for the future.

The lighting, music and scenery complemented the play exactly. As the tone of the play got more serious, the lighting turned from blue to a raging red. There wasn’t a lot of scenery so most of the focus was on the characters and their stories. The music changed accordingly as well.

I thought this play was amazing because it gave the viewer a totally different perspective other than one they usually get by reading a newspaper or watching a screen. The characters in the play were stated as being “ between there and nowhere.” I would really recommend everyone to see this play!