SEE ELLEN'S WORK Ajax in Iraq at Not Man Apart Physical Theatre Ensemble. Los Angeles, CA, USA
AT A.R.T. (2008), Photographer Marcus Stern
Past and present collide in Ellen McLaughlin's mash-up of Sophocles' classic tragedy Ajax with the modern-day war in Iraq. The play follows the parallel narratives of Ajax, an ancient Greek military hero, and A.J., a modern female American soldier, both undone by the betrayal of a commanding officer. Athena, goddess of war, coolly presides over the whole. Inspired by material collected from interviews with Iraq war veterans and their families, Ajax in Iraq explores the timeless struggle soldiers face in trying to make sense of war.
JULY 15 - AUGUST 15, 2016
“A dead on triumph.” “It would be madness to miss it”
“In its riveting Los Angeles premiere, playwright Ellen McLaughlin’s potent assault on sexual abuse in the military by way of the titular legendary Greek warrior is raw, provocative, poetic and indelible. Director-choreographer John Farmanesh-Bocca rallies his stalwart Not Man Apart Physical Theatre Ensemble forces into breathtaking kinetic cohesion.”
– David C. Nichols, Los Angeles Times