Written by Iraqi-American Heather Raffo based on the region in the 90's, 9 Parts of Desire features interviews with women in Iraq the author conducted during that time. Characters inhabit different locations on stage and pass a black abaya to one another as they move from one voice to the next. It is an interesting concept but one that kept me a little confused about who was who within each of the three actresses' parts. In a little while though, I just relaxed and went with it; I stopped wondering who they were and just listened to their stories. <>The stories are about the aspirations of women everywhere. These women want security, love, food, purpose, education and health and safety for themselves and their loved ones. Mostly they find little, if any, of those things. However, their spirits are strong, and it is the strength and resolve they bring to their circumstances in the face of overwhelming odds that resonates here.
The characters range from political activists to painters to mourners and include an America-Iraqi's. They live in Baghdad, London and New York. The deft dialogue coaching of Jan Gist shines here. Each character has a unique voice, reflecting her status, education and background.
The scenic design was done by David F. Weiner and is a commanding presence, a character itself. The diverging rivers (Tigris and Euphrates) remind us that this beleaguered land was the cradle of civilization, the fertile crescent of the ancient world, the promise of Eden.
The river is covered in bowls - vessels of all sizes and descriptions - the mundane tools that women have employed forever and that still frequently define them and their place in the world. There are shoes all around, as well, my initial impression being that they represented shoes removed to enter the mosque for prayers, but which instead are intended to represent all who have died in Iraq through war.
Spaces are defined as art studios, private libraries, apartments and bombed-out buildings. There are more spaces that are very loosely implied, as the stage has been designed with as many layers as the actors have, doing many jobs in one space, and doing it well.
The three actors in this production are Lisel Gorell-Getz as Layal (the artist), a doctor dealing with the deformities in children caused by toxic chemicals, and Umm Ghada, who takes us on a tour of the bomb shelter where her family was killed in the Gulf War by American bombs. She is very good in all but especially effective in the biggest role of the artist, a woman who is bright, talented, sexual, stubborn and balancing her existence on a very tenuous line.
Frances Anita Rivera plays the part of an Iraqi-American who is agitated and concerned over the safety of her family still in Iraq. Are they safe? She is helpless to intervene but intones the mantra "I love you" as a charm to ward off evil and keep them from harm. Rivera also plays Amal and Nanna, with great poignancy.
Dre'Slaman drinks scotch in the library of her London home where she lives in exile and remembers. She also brings to life a young girl who wants to go back to school but is no longer allowed out of the house, and a professional mourner. She has very strong stage presence and steady energy.
All three actresses bring to life women we may not know much about otherwise. What weakens the piece is the necessity of doing so much with so few people and limited space. The construct can be both confusing and distracting, but there's insight to be had from this theatrical experience, along with a great deal of pleasure.
