The Archaeology of Violence in Contemporary Iraqi Theatre: The Play (Khilaf) as a Model

Abstract

Abstract

               Violence is one of the significant themes that contemporary playwrights have employed to express their theatrical visions. Contemporary theatre has relied extensively on the concept of violence and its representation on stage. Theatre director Muhannad Hadi is among the directors who portrayed violence in the play Dispute, through which he expressed his rejection of the concept of violence in both the script and the performance. He presented violence directly on stage by depicting theatrical characters immersed in violence and its consequences, including killing and destruction. This study examines the image of violence as portrayed by Muhannad Hadi and analyzes how he presented it in the play Dispute.