All the world’s a stage. Iraqi voices give meaning to global events

’The Things That Can’t Be Said’ is a trilogy of plays by Iraqi American playwright Heather Raffo. It includes ‘9 Parts of Desire’, 'Fallujah: The First Opera about the Iraq War’ and 'Noura’. 

In these three plays Raffo explores the indelible effects of war on Iraqis, Americans, and the refugees caught between. When brought together, these works give voices to two decades of rarely examined traumas that have reshaped Americans and Iraqis alike. 

’Contemporary Plays from Iraq’ is another ground-breaking collection of Middle Eastern dramas translated into English for the very first time. The plays are preceded by introductions from the playwrights themselves, further enriching each piece for the enjoyment and understanding of the reader. 

Both books contain work from established and emerging playwrights and offer diverse Iraqi perspectives on events that have shaped them and the world around them. After all, it was William Shakespeare who said; “all the world’s a stage”.