By Eden van der Moere
After 12 weeks of rehearsing, practicing, working and studying lines, THEATRA is ready to present its newest masterpiece. In this long-awaited Spring Play, two worlds collide. Based on a piece by Ellen McLaughlin, the play is a mixture of Sophocles classic tragedy Ajax and the modern-day war in Iraq. Set on one stage, but in two time periods, Ajax in Iraq follows the storylines of Ajax and A.J. The first is an ancient military hero who fought in the Trojan War and who is now being haunted by Athena, the goddess of War. The second, A.J., is a modern female soldier from The United States of America, who is losing the connection with her crew and is being troubled by her superior officer. Both characters are haunted by the war and by guilt. Nightmares of the horrors are infecting their minds, causing the madness to catch up with them. Can they be saved? Or is there no escaping the war?
THEATRA has chosen a play with a heavy theme, which is both intense and confronting. They want to show that the difficulties of war go much farther than the images we see on television or in photographs: war affects everyone involved. Ajax in Iraq was a bold choice of THEATRA, because of the heavy theme and dark content, but also a very deliberate one. THEATRA needed a play that would allow a cast of 35 members, of which most are female, to participate and Ajax in Iraq provided just that. Another reason this specific play was chosen, was because of the layers in the piece. These layers make the play especially interesting for college audiences, according to THEATRA.
Ajax in Iraq shows the difficulties of war in a very original and thought-provoking way. The stories told by the soldiers are heart-felt and imaginative, filled with anger and guilt – they challenge you to think about war in a new and more realistic way. But what is most interesting about Ajax in Iraq, is to see two worlds colliding right before your eyes, on the stage in front of you. Ancient Greece and modern-day Iraq come together in an almost magical way, becoming mirror images of each other. It is a beautiful phenomenon to witness and definitely a reason to see THEATRA’s play.
Interested in seeing worlds collide? THEATRA performs the play on Friday May 8th at the Schouwburg here in Middelburg. The doors open at 19:30 and the play will start at 20:00. Tickets are €5,00 for UCR students (€7,00 for non-UCR) and are sold in Eleanor during the lunch breaks in week 13 and 14. It is also possible to reserve a ticket, by sending an email to [email protected] or to [email protected].
Eden van der Moere, Class of 2017, is a Literature and Linguistics Major from Goes, The Netherlands.
