Iraq, But Funny
By Atra AsdouDirected by Dalia Ashurina
MAY 13-JUN 13, 2027
STRAND THEATER
Iraq, But Funny
MAY 13-JUN 13, 2027
WEST COAST PREMIERE
This hilariously chaotic new play follows five generations of Assyrian women attempting to reclaim their story as it’s being narrated by some British guy (said British guy being played with sharp-elbowed satire by playwright Atra Asdou). Marching through time and space, this journey from the Ottoman Empire to modern-day USA portrays a gritty reality that’s playfully witty, filled with history, family, and dysfunction—it’s the zaniest history of the Middle East you ever did see!
"When you think of Iraq, you don't usually think of comedy. I started writing Iraq, But Funny because I needed a place to put my family's stories and wanted to share a side of my people audiences rarely see: their sense of humor. Iraq, But Funny explores the cyclical nature of mother/daughter and familial/generational relationships and how they relate to the cyclical nature of invasions, war and world history. And who better to give voice to Assyrian women than a British guy who narrates the whole thing. I'm also in the cast of Iraq, But Funny and we hope to make you laugh, learn, and feel like you're part of the family, too. I’m so grateful to be at A.C.T. in the gorgeous city of San Francisco. I’m so excited to gather with A.C.T.’s amazing audience in the Strand, and share in this madcap story of survival, family, and laughter together."—Atra Asdou
