Held in the subterranean tunnels of Waterloo Station The Old Vic presents 'Aftermath', a moving docudrama exploring the lives of 37 Iraqi citizens effected by the invasion.

From the award winning creators of The Exonerated comes this piece of documentary theatre based on interviews conducted with thirty seven Iraqi civilians displaced by the violence of war, and driven to seek refuge in Jordan. A cast of nine portray the experiences of an extraordinary cross section of Iraqi society six and a half years after the US invasion, from the voice of an Imam imprisoned in Abu Ghraib to a young mother whose family was caught in a car bombing, a Shiite couple forced to flee after a militia pressured them to inform on their Sunni neighbours. The result vividly brings to life the realities of wartime, its innocent victims, and the appalling carnage of conflict.

Premiering at New York Theatre Workshop in September 2009 to widespread critical acclaim, Aftermath is the only major American production focusing on the plight of Iraqi civilians. While names and locations have been changed to protect identities, ninety-five percent of the text is verbatim, taken from interviews conducted by Jessica and Erik in Jordan with Sunnis, Shiites and Christians in exile . From happy memories of an interdenominational neighborhood in Fallujah to the chilling sounds of the first bombs falling onto Baghdad and a cry from the heart of an uncle whose nephew was killed by nameless Americans, Aftermath offers an unprecedented theatrical perspective on the lives of innocent people losing their country and caught in one of the largest ground attacks the world has known.

"A superbly staged and beautifully acted testimonial to the innocent victims of an ugly war...This wonderful piece of agitprop theatre challenges us all." Marilyn Stasio, Variety

"Graceful and gripping work...The stories unfold bit-by-bit over 80 minutes and are haunting and harrowing, but there’s also room for humour...The staging is fluid; the performances excellent across the board."
John Dziemianowicz, New York Daily News

Info:
Thurs 8th to Sun 17th July 2010 Tues to Sat at 7.45pm. Mats Sat, Sun and Thurs at 3pm (no matinee Thursday 8th)

Tickets:
0844 871 7628 / ...