Heather Raffo's Iraq Plays: The Things That Can't Be Said: 9 Parts of Desire; Fallujah; Noura

The Things That Cant Be Said: Three Plays About Iraq is a trilogy of plays by Heather Raffo that explore the indelible effects of war on Iraqis, Americans, and refugees caught between the two cultures. The plays span a decade and a half and offer a unique historical and human perspective on the political issues of our time. 9 Parts of Desire (2003) was the first commercial hit on a national and international stage by an Arab American playwright, while Fallujah (2016) was the first ever opera about the Iraq War. Noura (2018) won the L. Arnold Weissberger New Play Award and was hailed as a first of its kind feminist refugee narrative.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 192 pages
Publication date: 11 February 2021
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

The Things That Cant Be Said: Three Plays About Iraq is a trilogy of plays by Iraqi American playwright/performer Heather Raffo, including 9 Parts of Desire, Fallujah: The First Opera about the Iraq War, and Noura. These plays explore the indelible effects of war on Iraqis, Americans, and refugees caught between the two cultures. When considered together, they give voice to nearly two decades of rarely examined traumas that have reshaped cultural and national identity for both Americans and Iraqis since the events of 9/11. Heather Raffo is a renowned playwright and performer whose work has been described by The New Yorker as an example of "how art can remake the world." An American with Iraqi heritage, her work is seen as a rare bridge between western and eastern cultures. With ongoing debates about the legacy of America's foreign wars and future role in the Middle East, this volume offers a uniquely historical and deeply human perspective on the political issues of our time. Spanning a decade and a half, these works form a mosaic of untold stories that were groundbreaking in their time and continue to profoundly impact communities and classrooms internationally. 9 Parts of Desire (2003): First Choice/The Best Shows in London by The Times, and as one of the "Five Best Plays" in London by The Independent. Its award-winning, Off-Broadway premiere ran for nine sold-out months and was a critics' pick of The New York Times, Time Out, and Village Voice. The play then received productions in nearly every major regional theatre market in America before being translated for international productions in Brazil, Greece, Sweden, Hungary, India, Turkey, Malta, France, Iraq, Egypt, and Israel. It was the first comedy to be performed in Arabic in the Middle East. Fallujah: The First Opera about the Iraq War (2006): This opera, written by Raffo and composer Daniel Sonenberg, is based on the true story of a young Iraqi woman who was killed in the Iraq War. It premiered at the Brooklyn Academy of Music and was performed by a cast of professional singers and musicians. The opera has been praised for its powerful and emotional performances, and has been performed in numerous venues around the world. Noura (2010): This play, written by Raffo and directed by Lisa Peterson, is a powerful and moving story about a young Iraqi woman who is forced to flee her home due to the violence of the Iraq War. It has been performed in numerous venues around the world and has received critical acclaim for its powerful performances and its exploration of the human condition. Together, these plays offer a unique and powerful perspective on the political and social issues of the Iraq War, and have helped to shape public opinion and policy. Raffo's work has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the Tony Award for Best Play, and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play. Her plays have been translated into numerous languages and have been performed in theaters around the world. In conclusion, The Things That Cant Be Said: Three Plays About Iraq is a powerful and important trilogy of plays that explore the indelible effects of war on Iraqis, Americans, and refugees caught between the two cultures. Raffo's work is seen as a rare bridge between western and eastern cultures, and has been recognized with numerous awards for its powerful and emotional performances. These plays offer a unique and powerful perspective on the political and social issues of the Iraq War, and have helped to shape public opinion and policy.

Weight: 232g
Dimension: 234 x 155 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350145177