Graduate students from American Repertory Theatre Institute recently participated in a workshop where they worked with playwright Ellen McLaughlin to develop a piece that examined the notion of war. Students explored the current situation in Iraq by examining casualty statistics and cases of military suicide, sexual assault and post-war trauma and then drew parallels between aspects of war today and those that characterized ancient Greek tragedies from the fifth century B.C. McLaughlin compiled the students' input and theatrical material from the workshop and came up with "Ajax in Iraq," a modern twist on Sophocles' "Ajax."
Taking into account a pattern of crises that led to war in the past, referencing the World Wars and Vietnam, as well as ancient civilizations, the adaptation emphasizes the merit and methods of war prevention.
At rehearsal, performer Lizette Silva said, "Being a part of this production has been therapeutic for me as an actor, as I feel I'm doing something more than just reading about it in the news and feeling angry."
As a part of the workshop, the students interviewed war veterans in the New England area. Some actors even interviewed family members who are former army officers, which added a more personal angle to the production. Based on these experiences and stories, McLaughlin devised a narrative that incorporates both ancient and contemporary influences.
The performance showcases two stories that are interwoven and narrated simultaneously by the Greek goddess Athena. The contemporary story deals with the suicide of A.J., a female soldier serving in Iraq, who killed herself after repeated sexual assaults by a commanding officer that eventually pushed her to the brink. Her story which parallels that of Sophocles' Ajax, shows that the central themes in the ancient play, such as military suicide and assault, are still present in modern day wars.
While some scenes are strongly interspersed, like the internal conflict of the protagonists before their suicide, there are scenes that separately deal with each story. The play opens with real experiences from anonymous soldiers that the students collated through their interviews. After these are read, the play directly moves into the two main stories.
While the central conflict in the original version lies in the debate over whether to bury the soldier's body, the modern story uses A.J.'s funeral to explore the emotional turmoil of war, the dark allure of suicide and the senses of betrayal and contempt. Both A.J. and Sophocles' Ajax are driven to the point of delusion because of war, walking the fine line between identity and insanity.
A.J.'s plotline explores the concept of women in war and the theme of sexual assault, which the students found to be commonplace in the situation in Iraq. A.J. was not rewarded for her heroism but instead subjected to further molestation.
"These lines are blurred;" said actress Heidi Nelson. On one hand women are allowed to be soldiers, yet there are glitches in the system. In A.J.'s case, double standards eventually lead her to do things that were previously uncharacteristic: She kills a sheep, deluded that it is the officer who assaulted her. This concept is paralleled to Ajax's murder of cattle that he believes to be Odysseus.
The final monologue of the play narrates the impact of A.J.'s suicide on her family. While her sister goes hysterical and refuses to believe it, it is her son, A.J.'s nephew, who tries to console his mother. This little boy gives hope to the audience and to those fighting in present wars.
"A lot of soldiers cease to exist outside the war," said the play's director Scott Zigler, as it takes over every aspect of their life.
A.J.'s nephew offers an optimistic outlook that one can adopt no matter how despairing it may seem.
Athena's role is a similar one; she is witty and sarcastic. Her humor and wit allow us a moment to detach ourselves from the misery and grimness of war, and to see its futility. While "Ajax in Iraq" ends on a hopeful note, there is still an underlying fear. If these sad conditions of war have been present since the time of Sophocles, when will they ever end?
