Playwright Heather Raffo wrote 9 Parts of Desire as a means to communicate the real story about women in war-torn Iraq. She speaks to Jo Caruana about the conflicting aspects that inspired this work.

Theatre, by definition, reaches out to its audience – across class, era and culture – to show us a little bit of that which we don’t know and invite us in to learn more.

I carry many cultures in me and my curiosity to connect with all the different populations in Malta is thrilling to me

In her 2003 play 9 Parts of Desire, writer Heather Raffo does exactly that on the subject of women in Iraq – a topic often met with mixed emotions of confusion, fear, pity and disdain from the western world.

Raffo, though, comes to the topic from an alternate standpoint. As a half-Iraqi woman herself, she sees things a little differently, both from her own time in the war-torn region and the insight from her immediate relatives. Thus, she chose to write the play as a means to communicate with all the people she wanted to know the real story.

After all, what is life actually like for the women of Iraq?

Raffo’s inspiration has changed over the years as she has now been working on the play, on and off, for nearly a decade. But the origins of her inspiration have remained the same.

“I am half Iraqi, on my dad’s side, and half American,” she says, explaining that she lives in New York but has visited Iraq on numerous occasions to visit family.

“When war broke out – both during the Gulf conflict and this more recent one – I realised how many common misconceptions there were about Middle Eastern women, especially that they all lived behind a veil and were repressed by the men in their lives. Contrarily, all the women I met on my trips weren’t victims at all; they were immensely strong and well-educated.”

And it was those women’s stories that Raffo wanted to tell, talking about them as human beings with hopes and dreams, and in context to the decades of war and violence they had experienced. Writing 9 Parts of Desire was her way of creating the conversation she longed to have.

As Raffo and I chat over the phone – her voice so clear but her actual presence half way round the world in Brooklyn – I can imagine how it must feel to have a similar conversation with someone when you know their lives are at stake. It must be especially hard when they are family members you long to be closer to.

She admits it was hard, and that she was hugely affected by the experience of knowing that her aunts, uncles and cousins were in such terrible danger.

“The stakes are high – both from the immediate family you could lose to loss of life, but also for the entire heritage that is wiped out in war, such as the museumyou saw on holiday or the church mygrandfather built.

“After all, why shouldn’t I be able to holiday in Baghdad with my family, like people from other countries? There are losses on many levels and it is very painful.”

The play, therefore, aims to cling on to that culture and to safeguard the stories. It is performed in a series of nine portraits, showcasing the extraordinary (and ordinary) lives of a whole cross-section of Iraqi women – a sexy painter, a radical Communist, doctors, exiles, wives and lovers. It is a work that delves into the many conflicting aspects of what it means to be a woman in the age-old war zone that is Iraq.

When asked why theatre was her form of choice, Raffo explains it is because it is a live art that drives dialogue more than other forms.

“It is a space where the audience can safely feel conflicting emotions and complicated thoughts and the show relies on audience interaction. It relies on people, who don’t know each other, being willing to have a communal experience and share space. It is a fun and vulnerable position to be in, and the perfect position to open up to the topics I address.”

It is a very inclusive piece, and at no point is the audience made to feel like they are outsiders looking in.

“On the contrary, they feel as though they have been invited into the family living room and are being served tea. They are like a close friend from a different culture who is finally being given the opportunity to understand.”

As Raffo explains, theatre works like diplomacy and has the power to erasebarriers in an instant, helping audiencesto develop human understanding and empathy.

“Now, in relation to Malta’s immigration situation, I think the play is very relevant to the island,” she says, as she adds that she will be attending the performances and interacting with the audience after the shows.

“The sharing of culture and art is a powerful tool for finding common ground and building relationships.”

She is very excited about coming over, both as someone with Iraqi heritage, as well as an American.

“I have a British husband and, therefore, two half-British children. I carry many cultures in me and my curiosity to connect with all the different populations in Malta is thrilling to me.

“To be able to bring Malta a theatrical window into the community of Iraqi women I care so deeply about is exhilarating, because at the very least it will open all of us up to what is at stake for women everywhere,” she concludes. The production of 9 Parts of Desire in Malta is largely in English, with four of the nine characters presented in Maltese. It will take place at the St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity, Valletta, on Friday, Saturday and next Sunday. It is directed by Toni Attard and stars Shirley Blake, Estelle Grech and Marta Vella as the show’s nine characters. Booking from St James Cavalier (www.sjcav.org or 2122 3200).