The University Player’s first play of the season, “Ajax in Iraq,” will shed light on the horrors of war, both ancient and contemporary. This tragedy is written by Ellen McLaughlin and directed by guest director, John Farmanesh-Bocca.
The play follows the parallel stories of ancient Greek playwright Sophocles’ tragic character Ajax and the contemporary female solider A.J., who is fighting in the war in Iraq. Modern day soldiers and Greek gods share the stage in what Farmanesh– Bocca said is “fantastic for the ADD challenged; it’s like watching a split screen.”
“You can look forward to seeing a very physical, very visceral production,” Farmanesh-Bocca said. “We’ve trained really hard together to not only do a good job with the telling of the play, but to bring it alive with a lot of exciting movement pieces and to tell it in a way that it would be riveting.”
The two stories are layered with dark themes, like death, rape and betrayal. The two leads, Ajax and A.J., have journeys that are similarly intertwined.
“There is a lot of symbolism that I’m trying to put in there, to not only show how there is a parallel, but to show the idea of reincarnation,” Farmanesh-Bocca said. “The past is playing out in the future. That history is not a circle but rather a spiral. Yes, you are in the same place, but you are a little higher than you were before.”
Both stories are not glamorous yet very important. The tragedies of war are brought to light throughout the entire production not only with the voice of soldiers, but also the voices of their family members that have been affected.
“It is incredibly important for college-aged students to see this play and remember that we are at war, because war is an ugly business,” Farmanesh-Bocca said.
A.J.’s story is especially important because of its relevance today.
“This is the first war in history that we have female combatants,” Farmanesh-Bocca said. “Women are picking up guns and going into the field. They’re not just back as nurses and typing; they are combatants. Most people would not know that.”
This play also has relevance to today’s times because of the upcoming presidential election. Although the war in Iraq is winding down, Farmanesh-Bocca points out that, “We’re still there and people are still dying there. We’ve got over 50,000 troops still there.”
“Ajax in Iraq” opens on Friday and will run until Oct. 13 with performances at 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Saturday matinees. This production is in the Studio Theater on the Cal State Long Beach South Campus. Tickets are $15 for general admission and $12 for seniors and students, with valid ID. For tickets and information, visit csulb.edu/depts/theatre.
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