Three Plays from Nineveh Against War and Oppression

By Nahidh Al- Ramadhani, Muyassar Al- Khashab and Bayat Maree

The following plays represent a new group of playwrights who have witnessed hard circumstances of war during both the domination and liberation of Mosul city (2014- 2017). The purpose of presenting them is to throw light on different dramatic works that portray suffering and worry of people in effective events.
Two plays reveal how much people were suffering pre and post ISIS domination on the city. One of the plays "Whale Cavity" is written in Mono-drama technique by Nahidh Al- Ramadاani whose works are produced in the Arab region besides Iraq.
The other one "Layla’s Toy" is written by Muyassar Al-Khashab that reflects at least one of the cruel events and results of war against civilians, and children in particular.
The third one is written by Bayat Maree "The Seventh Run" a one- act play, which deals with a man who finds no escape of killers except burning his books.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Mar 15, 2020
• ISBN: 9781716436338

Book preview

Introduction

The following plays represent a new group of playwrights who have witnessed hard circumstances of war during both the domination and liberation of Mosul city (2014- 2017).  The purpose of presenting them is to throw light on different dramatic works that portray suffering and worry of people in effective events.

They reveal how much people were suffering pre and post ISIS domination on the city. One of the plays Inside the Whale is written in Mono-drama technique by Nahidh Al- Ramadani whose works are produced in the Arab region besides Iraq.

The other oneLayla’s Toy is written by Muyassar Al-khashab that reflects at least one of the cruel events and results of war against civilians, and children in particular.

The third one is written by Bayat Maree The Seventh Run a one- act play, which deals with a man who finds no escape of killers except burning his books.

The translator

Inside the Whale

By

Nahidh Al Ramadhani

Al-Ramadhani, alludes to the story of prophet Jonah Arabic romanized Yūnus which has been mentioned in the Holy Quran.

Prophet Jonah was commanded to go to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, for preaching the truth of God. The prophet ignored the advice and warnings. The prophet proceeded to the sea and took a boat that was caught in a storm. Yunis was thrown into the sea where a great fish with capacious belly drew him in. He remained there repenting and glorifying God. When he decided to go back to the same town, he found people following again the same evil ways of life.

Therefore, Ramadhani, the author, expresses in his own modified aspects, the attitude of present-day life against vice and oppression. 

Place: Inside a whale. Some dark blue holes of different sizes are seen. Music: sounds of violent sea waves are frequently mixed with sounds of seagulls, which sometimes disappear to hear the pulses of the huge animal instead. Other effective music tools are also involved.

[A spotlight is directed to the left side of the stage.

A middle aged-man, bare footed with grey beard stands up quietly

with his wide white dress, he moves to the middle of the stage facing the audience, he speaks bitterly]:

Who charged me with reforming this world... who? It is a heavy task, or it is an impossible deed. . Why me in particular?                             

[ Sound of a huge wave. The actor slips away, and rolls as if he was hit. He slips down from right to left raising his head, and then he turns around :]