Summary: | "A Cradle was written at a time during which artists had to rely upon symbols, due to a repressive political environment, and closely observe the warning signs posted by authoritarian cultural institutions. However, this did not prevent me from entering the minefield with a boldness applauded by theatre critics. In fact, the play had a significant impact on the Iraqi theatre community, which still remembers it 15 years after its premiere. A Cradle depicts the instability that threatened the Iraqi people, the volcano in which we lived during that dangerous period before 2003. The characters are from everyday life: the downtrodden woman who dreams of having a child; the carpenter who desires to build cradles instead of coffins; the soldier who returns from war without his legs and is abandoned by his wife; the madman who says what no one else dares to; and the teacher who sells cigarettes in the street. All of these characters suffer under intolerable conditions. They are rebellious and discontented and dream of a better future."--
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