{"id":325,"date":"2017-02-05T19:47:11","date_gmt":"2017-02-05T19:47:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/montyake.pirat.uk\/?p=325"},"modified":"2018-01-20T20:16:34","modified_gmt":"2018-01-20T20:16:34","slug":"asiya","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/montyake.pirat.uk\/?p=325","title":{"rendered":"Asiya"},"content":{"rendered":"

In spring of 2010 we were tasked with creating a short scene of Tragedy, pulling influence from materials studied. I wrote a contemporary adaptation of <\/span>Antigone<\/span><\/i>, moving the story\u2019s events to modern day Iraq, where my semi-fabricated conflict of American Occupiers against Militant Insurgents replaces the Civil War that precedes Sophocles\u2019 play.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The character of Antigone is replaced by Asiya (\u0622\u0633\u064a\u0629), Arabic for \u2018One who tends to the weak\u2019 and \u2018One who heals\u2019. Her brothers Ete (Eteocles) and Pol (Polynices) have both just died, which she is both discussing and discovering in the presence of an aspirational insurgent officer (and her fianc\u00e9), Malik (\u0645\u0644\u0643\u200e), Arabic for \u2018King\u2019. Malik is a stand-in for King Creon more than H\u00e6mon (Creon\u2019s son, engaged to Antigone), in his refusal to give proper burial to one brother over the other. Avoiding a like-for-like adaptation, there is a twist in the tale that throws doubt over the perception of the brothers. This short scene features multiple endings that each hold a different fate for Asiya and Malik, which is a nod to Euripides\u2019 lost version of the play (that ends with the happy marriage of Antigone and H\u00e6mon, starkly contrasting with Sophocles\u2019 telling of the tale).<\/span><\/p>\n

Specific lines have been lifted from Sophocles\u2019 <\/span>Antigone<\/span><\/i>, as well as from Philip Ridley\u2019s <\/span>Vincent River<\/span><\/i> and Harold Pinter\u2019s <\/span>Ashes to Ashes<\/span><\/i>. Ridley\u2019s very personal tragedy is also a two-hander, and features a woman (Anita, which in Iranian is short for Anahita, \u2018kindness and being personable\u2019) whose relative (her son) is unjustly killed, and her struggles to deal with the prejudices and ignorant hatred that led to it. Pinter\u2019s play is again a two-hander between a couple that has experienced loss and tragedy of their own, bickering in the womb of their living room; it is even implied that the main character, Rebecca, is murdered by her husband, Devlin – this is mirrored in one of the alternate endings to my piece, which are an echo of Asiya\u2019s final possible actions (Rebecca\u2019s own \u2018Echo\u2019 famously closes Pinter\u2019s play).<\/span><\/p>\n

I have included [comments]<\/span> where a quote has been recycled for use.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Asiya<\/b><\/p>\n

By Talented Writing Acting Theatre Students<\/span><\/p>\n

First performed by Kat Ketley, Sophie Wakeford, Joanna Harrison, and Monty Kimball-Evans<\/span><\/i>\f (2010) at the University of the West of England, Bristol, UK<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>This morning, I heard about it this morning…[1]<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>I\u2019m sorry.<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>I identified him by his birthmark.[2]<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>Birthmark?<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>On his leg. Like a thumbprint.<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>Go on.<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>His face. [<\/span>Pause<\/span><\/i>] I couldn\u2019t make out his face. His face was full of blood. Deep cuts all over his chest. A gaping bullet wound across his neck. And his face \u2013 oh, my God! His face! His teeth are smashed, his nose smashed. Just blood. They\u2019d removed his clothes…[3]<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>He was wearing emblems of the Coalition-<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>They\u2019d taken his clothes away so that I could identify him. I never saw him in uniform.<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>Ete saw him.<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>…Where is Ete?<\/span><\/p>\n

Pause<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>Asiya. I\u2019ve called you in. [<\/span>Pause<\/span><\/i>] To deliver my deepest-<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>-He\u2019s dead too, isn\u2019t he? My brothers leave me the sole survivor of my family.<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>Ete died in a hail of gunfire this afternoon.<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>Whose gunfire?<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>Traitorous pigs. Ete died defending our country from the evils of the occupiers and sympathisers that threaten our future, and the future of this country.<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>…The civilian Coalition are as much Iraqis as we are.<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>No, Asiya! They are traitors to our country!<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>My brother is no traitor, Malik.<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>Savage child \u2013 suffering has taught you nothing.[4]<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>Does his death satisfy you?<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>That\u2019s… [<\/span>Pause<\/span><\/i>] darling…<\/span><\/p>\n

Pause<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>How odd to be called darling. No-one\u2019s ever called me darling. You\u2019ve never called me darling.[5]<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>We will bury Ete in proper observance of right and custom, so that he can be honoured among the dead below. But you are aware, Asiya, that Pol must be left un-mourned.[6]<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>Last night Pol sat with us and ate with us. He\u2019s as much your brother as mine.<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>Asiya \u2013 such claims abhor me. He is not my brother, and had you sense, you would deny his claim to your family name in death.<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>How! How can you be so cold, Malik?<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>Ete is your only brother now. He is brother to us all. A hero of the Insurgency!<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>What are you saying?<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>Ete is your only brother-<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>-If you love me-<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>-Pol would have us all dead-<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>-If you\u2019ve ever loved me-<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>-He betrayed us-<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>-You\u2019ll understand that I cannot-<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>-He does not deserve our compassion-<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>-Ignore my brother.<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>-He deserves nothing.<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>Nothing?<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>Yes.<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>Can you love?<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>What?<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>Can you love?<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>Who?<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>Me.<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>Why-<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>-Answer me.<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>Yes.<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>Really?<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>Yes!<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>Why?<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>What do you think?<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>I think you\u2019re lying.<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>I\u2019m lying? Asiya, you must be joking.<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>You loved me <\/span>before<\/span><\/i> today.<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>Don\u2019t… don\u2019t say it like that.[7]<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>Like what?<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>Like it\u2019s… oh, just don\u2019t say it.<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>You deny it? [<\/span>Pause<\/span><\/i>] Yesterday, you sat with Pol. I remember it, you were joking and revelling \u2013 you even poured him out a drink. Two drinks. You sat away from the other men, and turned away anyone who came to sit close to you. If you feel nothing for him now, you <\/span>certainly <\/span><\/i>made up for it last night. Who came up to you? The new man in charge of weapons training \u2013 you\u2019ve been dying to speak with him for days now. I knew it was your only chance to talk with him, but you even turned him away. When I came to take your dishes, you looked me in the eyes, and stopped laughing for just a moment. Your eyes are not foreign to me; not unfamiliar. I can read your eyes. [<\/span>Pause<\/span><\/i>] But last night, I could not. That scared me, Malik. You two talked for a considerable time. And by the sound of your voices, there was never a sombre or angry word spoken between you two. And Ete was not there. Ete didn\u2019t eat last night. How strange. You said you were going to eat with him. Did you eat with him?[8]<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>I\u2019ve heard enough.<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>Malik, how can you be so bitter now? I did not see my brother in Coalition attire, did you? Did you get to the treatment centre before they stripped him naked and- and where are his clothes? Do you have them, Malik? It\u2019s pretty careless to have lost them! <\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>You\u2019re exhausting my patience, Asiya.[9]<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>You have no patience for a good man-<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>-You\u2019re completely convinced he was a <\/span>good <\/span><\/i>man. Stop wasting my time! We found him amongst the casualties in the Coalition\u2019s own encampment.<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>The men said he was found <\/span>outside <\/span><\/i>the camp.<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>Inside, outside \u2013 he was working <\/span>with <\/span><\/i>them to topple us.<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>Proof?<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>What?<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>Proof?<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>He was wearing their uniform, Asiya!<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>We regularly send out spies, emblazoned with enemy signs and patterns. Plenty of their uniforms in store.<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>Then it was convenient for Ete-<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>-For Ete?<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>Ete?<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>You said, \u2018<\/span>Ete<\/span><\/i>\u2019, you said it was convenient for <\/span>Ete<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>No, for Pol. Convenient for Pol.<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>Pol could have been undercover. You spent last night with him. Did you… Did you know that he was going to the Coalition camp this morning? Did he say-<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK<\/strong> -Asiya.<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>Did Ete know?<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>Did Ete know<\/span><\/i>. My mind is spinning. I\u2019m afraid I might be caught in a fatal web. But… The Penny\u2019s dropped.[10][11]<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>Did Ete know?<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>Asiya. I cannot hide it from you. You are m-<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>-What are you hiding?<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>Your brother was sent in, by us, to spy on them. [<\/span>Pause<\/span><\/i>] I knew it, Ete knew it… Pol-<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>-That\u2019s enough.[11]<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>You have to understand. Pol\u2019s death under the guise of the enemy was integral. With him shamed, and discovered by Ete. Killed by Ete… Then Ete would have garnered the support from the region\u2019s chiefs to become the leader of this operation. And I would have been promoted at his side. We would have strengthened the attack from this stronghold, and had the influence to pull men from the surrounding regions. With your brother\u2019s plan, we\u2019d be further into Baghdad than ever before, and close to defeating the invading scum.<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>I don\u2019t understand…<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>Ete\u2019s death this afternoon was <\/span>unplanned<\/span><\/i>, but it martyred him. In death, he can inspire our people to achieve the strength, and in his absence, I will be promoted, and lead the assault that your brother so wanted.<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>Why do you want to hurt me, Malik? Why?[12]<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>I don\u2019t mean to hurt you, I\u2019m just telling the truth. [<\/span>Pause<\/span><\/i>] But now I don\u2019t know…<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>You don\u2019t… know? Useless creature that you are, who killed my brothers. I loved you!<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>Asiya. If word of this got out, our leaders would disband this stronghold, and have me killed. Have you killed.<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>Me?<\/span><\/p>\n

MALIK <\/strong>As my betrothed and closest companion and confidante. They\u2019ll kill you for knowing.<\/span><\/p>\n

ASIYA <\/strong>Kill…? [<\/span>Trembles<\/span><\/i>] Fucking men… fucking war… fucking\u2026<\/span> [<\/span>Long, painful cry<\/span><\/i>][13]<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Pause<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Malik steps towards Asiya. Asiya holds her hands up, warning him off. Malik stops in his tracks.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Very slowly, Asiya regains control. They look at each other. Malik goes to say something.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Asiya shakes her head and makes a \u2018shushing\u2019 sound.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Very slight pause.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Asiya hands Malik his jacket. He puts it on.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Asiya straightens Malik\u2019s collar.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Three-way split of Asiya.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

One removes Malik\u2019s gun and shoots herself in her heart.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

The second turns to leave, but is shot by Malik.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

The third turns to leave and exits, leaving Malik\u2019s and her fate a mystery.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

End.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Referencing Key:
\nVR<\/span> = Vincent River<\/em>. Methuen Drama, 2009
\nA2A<\/span> = Ashes to Ashes<\/em>. Faber & Faber, 2000
\nAnt<\/span> = Antigone<\/em>, Greek Tragedy<\/em>. Nick Hern Books, 2005<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. A2A p.395<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. VR p.19<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. VR p.68<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Ant p.14<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. A2A p.400<\/span><\/li>\n
  6. Ant p.3<\/span><\/li>\n
  7. VR p.49<\/span><\/li>\n
  8. ASA p.422<\/span><\/li>\n
  9. Ant p.18<\/span><\/li>\n
  10. Ant p.30<\/span><\/li>\n
  11. VR p.60<\/span><\/li>\n
  12. Ant p.17<\/span><\/li>\n
  13. VR p.69<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    In spring of 2010 we were tasked with creating a short scene of Tragedy, pulling influence from materials studied. I wrote a contemporary adaptation of <\/span>Antigone<\/span><\/i>, moving the story\u2019s events to modern day Iraq, where my semi-fabricated conflict of American Occupiers against Militant Insurgents replaces the Civil War that precedes Sophocles\u2019 play.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-325","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-play"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/montyake.pirat.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/325","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/montyake.pirat.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/montyake.pirat.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/montyake.pirat.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/montyake.pirat.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=325"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/montyake.pirat.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/325\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":328,"href":"https:\/\/montyake.pirat.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/325\/revisions\/328"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/montyake.pirat.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=325"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/montyake.pirat.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=325"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/montyake.pirat.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=325"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}