Like an Alien Hair in One’s Mouth: Anmar Taha’s Theatrical Performance and the Use of the Body
Farah Ali* and Majeed Mohammed Midhin**
Abstract
When thinking about successful theatrical experiences for post-2013 emigrants, Iraqi artistic director Anmar Taha immediately comes to mind. After leaving Iraq in 2005 amidst ongoing political deterioration, Taha, alongside Josephine Gray, founded the Iraqi Bodies Troupe in Sweden; a troupe that is dedicated to staging personal stories from Iraq and relies entirely on body mechanisms, as in body dance movements that draw their inspiration from the Eastern tradition. To explore the role of the body in theatre, Taha has, over time and through daily practice, developed techniques that include yoga and dance (ballet and modern jazz), as well as Butoh. This article attempts to shed light on three distinct ideas, chiefly Taha’s theatrical performances and his experience in Iraq, with specific reference to his four actor categories to understand how he uses the body to reflect different stories from Iraq post-2003. Moreover, this paper investigates how Taha views the body: a singular entity that should be free from local constraints, including those that still shackle the theatres of the Western world.
Keywords: Anmar Taha, Iraqi Bodies, body mechanism, physical theatre, voice
Iraqi Bodies Troupe
One of the particular challenges that confronted Iraqi people during the war in 2003 was that of forced immigration—thousands of Iraqi people suddenly found themselves in diaspora. Kathryn Libal and Scott Harding affirm that “the Iraq war…created a flow of forced migrants, both within and across national borders, numbering around four million people, or approximately 15 percent of Iraq’s population” (18). Despite its negative outcomes, migration can sometimes have its own merits.
Director Anmar Taha’s journey from Iraq to Sweden in 2005 marked a significant shift not only in his personal life, but also in the landscape of contemporary Iraqi theatre. According to Taha in his pamphlet The Entity of the Body in the Theatre, his knowledge of theatre originally stemmed from the myths and stories of Greek theatre: “Throughout my theatre studies, focus was exclusively placed on the ideal of the Thespian actor—I was completely fascinated and awestruck” (5). However, the body, in and of itself, has been a prominent presence since the very beginnings of modern Iraqi theatre, as per Taha’s four categorizations of the characters he chooses to present in his theatre-making, namely the actor, the kidnapped, the soldier, and the veiled woman (17-29). Taha explains that his focus on such is driven by both personal and political reasons:
“The sanctions imposed on Iraq by the civilized world were so strict! I remember in art classes at school I learned how to draw tanks and soldiers opening fire. They didn’t teach me the names of the flowers that grew around us in the city, wildflowers of all kinds and all colors. Our teachers used to whip the kids with their belts. My father was constantly violent toward my mother for the most trivial reasons.” (35)
This statement leads us to explore the traditions followed in Iraq regarding the performing arts, and indeed the societal expectations and customs that have shaped them. According to Hadeel Abdelhameed in her unpublished thesis Imaging Women in Wartime: A Comparative Study in Selected Australian and Iraqi War Theatre, three generations have played a crucial role in shaping the performing arts in Iraq. She further clarifies that:
“While the first and second generations from the 1940s to the late 1960s established the praxis of Aristotelian drama, the third generation from the 1970s to the 1990s were influenced by Brechtian dialectical theatre, Beckettian Absurdist drama, and Artaud’s Theatre of Cruelty. They worked to introduce experimental drama not only to the Iraqi academia but also to the public.” (44-5)
Taha, from his description of the circumstances he experienced and the characters he chose to represent in his theatre, belongs to the third experimental generation (17). Establishing the Iraqi Bodies Troupe in 2009 was a response to the need for a platform where stories of displacement, war, and personal trauma could be expressed through the universal language of the body. However, this need to place the body center stage created two conflicting issues for Taha: while the body is a familiar element of Iraqi performing arts, it remains buried under multiple layers of religious and social taboos. Regarding the significance of the name Iraqi Bodies, Taha, in an interview with Nahed Nasr for Ahram Online (Saturday 1 Oct 2016), stated that, “We belong to a society where the body is our biggest taboo” (5). He added, “Our bodies are imprisoned under layers and layers of restrictions. To liberate ourselves, we need to liberate our bodies. This is part of the physical theatre I choose to work in” (5). This liberation is precisely what Taha intends to achieve through his troupe.
The other issue is the unity between the body and the mind while creating theatre. Taha does not believe in the Western concept that the body and mind should work on different levels;[1] rather, he believes that “in the performative act this becomes a hinder [sic] to the performer and director because it divides the person into sections which should be truly whole” (5).
Shaun Gallagher agrees with Taha’s view by bringing other theorists who believe in the unity of both body and mind in what he prefers to refer to as “performative forgetfulness of the body” (305). He states that the aim of bodily unity “is to become so habitual in our bodily movement that we no longer have to monitor it” (305).[2]
Taha’s reasoning for such a casting of actors’ corporeality is that while the body acts the character assigned to it, such attributes add “social, cultural, religious and so on” aspects of such layers, which build a framework of constraints he believes pollute the body and start speaking for it, rather than the body being able to speak for itself (5).
Therefore, in an environment far removed from his homeland, Taha’s work transcends linguistic and cultural barriers, creating a visceral experience for audiences. The Iraqi Bodies Troupe oscillates between physical and dance theatre, drawing strong inspiration from Antonin Artaud and Jerzy Grotowski, as evident in the troupe’s focus on the body, corporality, and physicality. Iraqi Bodies’ performances are heavily influenced by Artaud’s Theatre of Cruelty and Grotowski’s Poor Theatre. Artaud’s philosophy emphasizes the use of physicality and raw emotion to affect the audience in a visceral manner; similarly, Grotowski’s focus on actors’ physical and emotional commitment to their roles resonates deeply within the troupe’s work. This methodological synergy fosters a unique blend of physical and dance theatre that pushes the boundaries of traditional performance art. Taha notes that his knowledge of such theatre makers came from his studies at the University of Baghdad’s Fine Arts Institute (17).
Iraqi Bodies’ repertoire delves into themes reminiscent of absurd theatre, echoing the works of Samuel Beckett and Eugène Ionesco. In his aforementioned pamphlet. Taha explains that he is deeply concerned with the ideas of birth and death, processes he considers entirely mysterious. He views his theatre as a reflection of the brief light that exists between these two moments, describing it as the space between the two dark spots of birth and death (Taha 6).[3] In addition to citing his Brechtian influence, Taha explains the influences of both Artaud and Grotowski on his work, and indeed how he came across their respective works. As for his interest in Artaud, Taha says that he was directly influenced by Hijikata of the Butoh (or Dance of Utter Darkness) style. He puts things more in context through the following:
“When I speak about the actor today it all came from the first encounter I had with Antonin Artaud’s texts, in particular The Theatre and Its Double. As is common knowledge Artaud never succeeded in implementing his theories on acting and theatre due to his enforced hospitalization. Theatre makers have struggled with this notion, from Peter Brook to Jerzy Grotowski, the latter devoting an entire chapter in his Towards a Poor Theatre on the impossibility of Artaud’s suggested methods. What undeniably stuck with me, and has blossomed ever since, was the notion that the actor should not frame a dramatic text as a set of signifiers that needs to be treated in a particular way in order to further the meaning of the text but that the actor should instead make equal use of his body and breath as the text. One example of this was to treat speech as you hear it in your dreams–noises, ambiances, meanings without corresponding signifiers.” (18)
According to Taha, while Grotowski’s influences do not feature as prominently in his work as those of Artaud, the latter nevertheless provides the foundation for the archetypal actor,[4] a concept Taha refers to as The Holy Actor, akin to a high priest or actor with noble heritage. This nobility should be manifested in the character’s breath, speech, body, and overall being, which Taha describes as encompassing “the infinite I” (19). This “I,” however, must be aware of the characters it represents, like the soldier, the veiled woman, the kidnapped, etc.), but should otherwise lack the self-awareness that would lead it to identify with a specific signifier. Taha states: “The actor as an archetype in this sense–holy–permeates the vision and experience I have of the actor. He remains pure potentiality [sic] to actualize the myriads of roles, “I’s’”, that he will bring to life on stage, and in life too as the theatre and its mode outlives the spotlights in order to remain observant of the poetry of life” (19). This is how Taha envisages the role of the actor in his works when acting in any form or shape.
Iraqi Bodies has been collaborating since 2005, but their trajectory took a dramatic turn when their director and leader, Anmar Taha, was tragically shot. This tragic event left an indelible mark on the troupe members’ personal lives and permanently transformed their art. Incorporating Artaud and Grotowski, in addition to Japanese dance styles such as Butoh, fosters a unique blend of physical and dance theatre that pushes the boundaries of traditional performance art. The troupe’s thematic focus often aligns with the absurdist theatre movement, embracing existential questions and the human condition’s inherent absurdity. Like Beckett, Ionesco, and Genet, Iraqi Bodies’ work reflects a sense of dislocation and a search for meaning in a seemingly indifferent universe. By exploring such themes, Iraqi Bodies creates performances that are not only thought-provoking but also deeply reflective of contemporary global issues.
The shooting of Anmar Taha profoundly influenced the troupe’s artistic direction; Taha’s injury and his subsequent relocation to Sweden, were ultimately pivotal moments for the troupe. This personal trauma transformed into a narrative tool within the group’s art, where movement and image essays are used to express the symbols and signs of trauma and existential limits. Their performances often confront the dichotomy between the Eastern and Western worlds, striving to bridge cultural differences and present a shared reality.
One of Iraqi Bodies’ particular objectives is to portray a reality that resonates universally, transcending cultural and geographical boundaries, and hence the emphasis on the universal “I” that does not imbue any cultural, social, or political signifiers on itself. Their blend of physical and dance theatre allows them to explore deep existential themes through a unique and compelling medium. By incorporating personal and collective traumas into their work, they create performances that not only reflect the absurdity of the human condition but also serve as a bridge between disparate cultural worlds. Their continued evolution and dedication to confronting complex themes ensure that Iraqi Bodies remain a vital and impactful presence in Iraqi contemporary theatre.
Moreover, in 2009, Taha started operating his dance theatre company alongside fellow artistic director and academic Josephine Gray. However, it is worth noting that Taha, despite everything, emerges as the more contemplative and intellectually inclined of the two. There are a few reasons for this. First, the article primarily focuses on portraying Anmar Taha himself and his experiences, which were rooted in Iraq—an experience that Josephine Gray does not share. Second, the authors may seem to equate the term “Western” with modern or contemporary perspectives, however, it is important to acknowledge that the West has been profoundly influenced by the East. By “Western world,” we are specifically referring to Western and Central Europe as well as North America. This influence, particularly in terms of theosophy, related theories, and aesthetic trends, began in the 1880s and 1890s, and, in a broader sense, even earlier.
Gray is deeply involved with Iraqi Bodies, an artistic collective active in Gothenburg since 2009. She has an extensive educational background, including training at L’École Internationale de Théâtre de Jacques Lecoq, as well as advanced degrees in philosophy and English. Gray holds a Master’s degree in Philosophy from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, where she wrote her thesis on the philosophy of comic performance in the works of Henri Bergson and Jacques Lecoq. Additionally, she earned a Master’s degree in English from the University of Sheffield, focusing her research on the grotesque figure in the re-imaginings of Shakespeare’s plays by Eugène Ionesco and Carmelo Bene. Most recently, she collaborated with Anmar Taha on a production centered on the prophetess Sibyl. Directed by both Gray and Taha, this work is part of the festival-like event Radix, scheduled for March.
In 2022 Gray co-edited the volume Second Nature: Comic Performance and Philosophy with Lisa Trahair. She also initiated the studium RADIX research program for performers in physical theatrical practices, including a seminar series featuring international guests. She usually does the dramaturgy part of Iraqi Bodies. Gray’s background, combined with Anmar Taha’s intellectual inclinations, makes Iraqi Bodies a distinctive force in exploring and demystifying the symbolism of the human body on stage. While acknowledging Gray’s significant dramaturgical contributions to Iraqi Bodies’ productions, this article primarily focuses on Taha’s artistic evolution, methodologies, and approaches in his work.
The Dance Methodology and Body Movement
Recently, Gray and Taha worked on workshop that offered a deep exploration of the performer’s self-awareness and presence on stage, rooted in the original concept of theatre as “theatron/θέατρον,” a space where things are made visible.[5] Held in 2024 at the Akropodoti Dance Centre in Greece, the workshop’s focus was on the preparatory state of “being” before a performer embodies a character or persona, encouraging participants to reflect on their authentic selves.
This workshop was an immersive experience that not only honed technical skills but also delved into the performer’s personal and artistic growth, aligning with the philosophy and practices of Iraqi Bodies. The openness of the workshop to a diverse audience above the age of 16 aligned with Taha’s broader vision that performance and self-awareness are universal pursuits, not confined to any specific group or type of person. The workshop’s inclusive nature and broad target audience suggest that it was designed to engage people from all walks of life, allowing them to explore their own physical and creative potential. Taha’s belief, as outlined in his pamphlet, is that a flawed educational system stifles the development of what he refers to as “fluid intelligence” (37), that is, the inherent creative potential within every individual. By focusing on the “art of creative life” (ibid), Taha argues against prescribing specific messages or meanings in performance as this could undermine the body’s potential as a dynamic and expressive tool. Taha’s recommendations, as mentioned on page 37 of his pamphlet, thus emphasize:
- Cultivation of Fluid Intelligence: Encouraging environments that allow creative intelligence to flourish naturally.
- Non-Prescriptive Expression: Rejecting the idea of imposing specific meanings or messages, thus preserving the integrity of the body as a vehicle for authentic expression.
- Educational Reform: Advocating for changes in educational systems to support the development of individual creativity and self-awareness, rather than conforming to rigid structures that limit personal and artistic growth.
Taha’s approach to the body in theatrical performance highlights the deep philosophical and practical considerations that inform his work. The body, as Taha sees it, is not merely an instrument of expression but the central medium through which stories, emotions, and experiences are conveyed. His rigorous training regime allows performers to transcend mere acting and instead “become” the story they are telling.
The Role of the Body in Contemporary Performance
Gaye Leigh Green’s observation that performance art has brought the body back to the forefront of artistic practice and pedagogy is central to understanding Taha’s methodology (12). In Taha’s performances, the body is not just a conduit for expression but a living, breathing canvas upon which experiences such as identity, loss, and resilience are etched. This perspective aligns with the broader trend in contemporary performance whereby physicality and corporal knowledge are increasingly recognized as integral to both artistic and scholarly endeavors.
The Dichotomy of Awareness vs. Forgetfulness
The debate between enhanced bodily awareness and “performing forgetfulness” is a critical point in Taha’s philosophy. Gallagher’s argument that heightened awareness of the body can lead to improved performance contrasts with Taha’s emphasis on freeing the body from conscious control. Gallagher suggests that by becoming more aware of aspects such as breathing or muscle movement, performers can refine their technique and emotional expression. For instance:
- Awareness of Breathing: By focusing on breathing during dance, a performer might become more attuned to their emotional state, potentially enhancing the depth of their performance.
- Awareness of Movement: Conscious awareness of muscles and movements allows for deliberate modification and improvement of technique (307).
Taha, however, advocates a different approach. He believes that by immersing oneself in the rhythm of breathing, the enjoyment of movement, and the exploration of hidden selves without self-consciousness, a performer can achieve spontaneous and authentic self-expression. Taha’s assertion that “in Western movement practice, it is believed that you can possess your body and control it” reflects his critique of the Western focus on control and ownership of the body. He sees this as a misunderstanding of both life and the body’s true potential (9).
Influence of Eastern Practices
Taha’s turn towards Eastern practices, particularly those of Michizo Noguchi Taiso’s (1914-1998)[6] and Tatsumi Hijikata’s Butoh, underscores his commitment to a more holistic and intuitive approach to performance. Butoh, often described as the “Dance of Utter Darkness,” involves an exploration of the deepest layers of the human psyche, often addressing themes of pain, darkness, and transformation. Taha’s reliance on these practices, especially in his portrayal of marginalized figures, such as veiled women and the kidnapped, reflects his belief in the body’s ability to convey profound, often hidden truths.
By embracing these Eastern techniques, Taha seeks to move beyond his perceived limitations of Western practices. Instead, he advocates a performance style that allows the body to express itself freely, unburdened by the need to conform to specific meanings or messages. This approach enables a deeper, more authentic connection between the performer and the story, as the body becomes a vessel for spontaneous, raw expression.
The video, “Pity – Part 1,” features a figure in a dark cloak, possibly a Hijabi woman, by a river. The storyline involves former ISIS General Othello, his deputy Iago, and Desdemona, weaving a narrative with modern political and media elements. The video employs subtitles that mimic breaking news, discussing Othello’s exposure by Iago and the ensuing media reactions. This setup creates a dichotomy between East and West, with Iago maintaining his allegiance while accusing Western media of misinformation. The video’s narrative prompts an examination of bodily representation in Taha’s theatrical work, especially the practice of Butoh which involves how the physical presence and depiction of bodies on stage communicate themes of conflict, resistance, and identity. Moreover, it represents the “Other,” as Bernadette Sweeney argues, “the placement of the body on stage or in the performance space relative to other ̒objects,’ both animate and inanimate, emphasizes the body as object. In theatre the body as subject becomes more complex, especially when a performer is working with a character or characters; the self as subject is still in place but the body is also projecting an-other” (33).
In her 2024 book Writing Through the Body: Iraqi Responses to the War on Terror, Hanan Jasim Khammas notes that both Slavok Zizek in Iraq: The Borrowed Kettle (2004) and Judith Butler in Frames of War (2009) suggest that the televised coverage of the war in Iraq and the associated visual spectacle were part of the military operations (17), with the latter, in particular, targeting viewers ideologically and politically to shape historical narratives (17), whilst in the former Butler suggests that visual media serves as a tool for constructing and disseminating specific war narratives (17).
Khammas posits that the media’s portrayal creates a semiotic space where both Iraqi and American bodies become central to expressions of resistance and identity. This representation impacts viewers, embedding them in the ideological constructs of the war narrative. The War on Terror, through its mediated visuals and narratives, sought to reconfigure global perceptions and historical records. As spectators, people are targeted by these semiotic strategies, making them both witnesses and participants in the associated ideological dissemination (17).
The mediated, visual narratives of war (as critiqued by Žižek and Butler) serve to engage audiences in powerful, often manipulative ways. Taha’s work, through its use of modern media elements and theatrical techniques, explores these dynamics, emphasizing the critical role of spectatorship in the construction and perception of war and violence.
Taha’s work exemplifies the dichotomy between East and West in media representation and views on the role of the body as a means of expression through a complex interplay of themes and symbols. Taha’s methodology represents a significant departure from traditional Western approaches to performance, emphasizing the importance of freeing the body from conscious control to achieve true self-expression.
The different object and symbols Taha deployed in this performance are all signifiers of physical importance. The burka represents the concealment and control of women’s bodies, emphasizing themes of oppression and identity, while the boxing glove signifies power and conflict, illustrating the brutal realities of war. The dead soldier’s shirt signifies loss, death, and the remnants of humanity amidst conflict, and the red clown’s nose conveys the absurdity and surreal nature of life and death, mocking the seriousness of war and conflict. These objects are all corporeal items which highlight the contradictory nature of the body’s representation in Taha’s theatre, challenging traditional taboos and offering a critique of cultural and religious norms.
As a result, what is being presented here is a more performative entity of the body, in which the body becomes a norm. As Judith Butler states, “the body is a materialization of a norm, it is the performance of an ideal construct, which one has to comply with to ensure his or her subjectivity so as not to be abjected, excluded, and marginalized into the spheres of nonsubjectivity” (qtd. in Ross 154).
We, the authors of this paper believe this very contradiction problematizes the body itself as has been represented in the Islamic world, and Taha’s attempts to free it from taboos form an even stronger pillar around the body itself. According to Khammas, Arab-Islamic heritage has historically emphasized a distance from the body, associating righteousness and true self with the soul, considered superior to the physical body which is prone to change and decay. This perspective has fostered a disdain for difference, plurality, the need for the Other, desire, and feelings altogether (19). Khammas, supported by Abir Hamdar’s concept of “the turn to the body,” emphasizes the importance of the body as a platform reflecting the various atrocities Iraq has endured. In this context, the body takes center stage in Taha’s work, serving as a medium to express:
- The Trauma of War: Physical and psychological scars of conflict.
- Cultural and Political Identity: Struggles and resistance of the Iraqi people.
- Human Experience: Diverse and complex human emotions and desires.
The complexities surrounding the representation of the body in Taha’s work extend beyond its image in Arab-Islamic heritage to include its political and media portrayal before, during, and after the war on Iraq. This is significant for two main reasons.
First: liberating the body from the stereotypical representations. Taha seeks to challenge and dismantle traditional Arab-Islamic views that regard the body as something to be hidden, restricted, and associated with shame. In many interpretations of Islamic heritage, the body is often seen as inferior to the soul, and physical desires are viewed as obstacles to spiritual purity. By using symbols like the burka, boxing glove, soldier’s shirt, and clown’s nose, Taha emphasizes the physicality of the body and its complex roles. These symbols help illustrate the body’s potential for expression and its ability to convey powerful messages about identity, resistance, and resilience.
Second: the political and media’s portrayal of the body, by both Eastern and Western media – though mainly by the latter – and their role in broadcasting the body can be categorized according to three important stages:
A) Pre-War Stereotype: Prior to the war, the Western media often depicted the Iraqi body within the context of authoritarianism and suppression, reinforcing a narrative of victimhood and oppression.
B) War-Time Representation: During the war, the portrayal of the Iraqi body became a focal point in justifying the invasion. The bodies of Iraqi people were depicted as needing liberation, underpinning the rhetoric of bringing freedom and democracy. This narrative was used to legitimize military actions.
C) Post-War Realities: After the war, the Iraqi body continued to be used as a site of political struggle. Media representations highlighted the ongoing violence, suffering, and the consequences of the invasion. These portrayals contributed to the global discourse on the legitimacy and impact of the war.
To expand on the significance of the body in Taha’s theatre, we draw on the definition of the body offered by Jean-Luc Nancy in Corpus (2008):
“Bodies […] are open space, implying, in some sense, a space more properly spacious than spatial, what could also be called a place. Bodies are places of existence, and nothing exists without a place, a there, a “here”, a “here is”, […] More precisely, it makes room for the fact that the essence of existence is to be without any essence. That’s why the ontology of the body is ontology itself: being’s in no way prior or subjacent to the phenomenon here. The body is the being of existence […] [Bodies] take place at the limit, qua limit: limit-external border, the fracture of intersection of anything foreign in continuum of sense, a continuum of matter.” (qtd. in Khammas 21)
Khammas’s elaboration on the geographical and spatial dimension of the body underscores the interconnectedness of our physical presence with our identity and experiences, a perspective that suggests our corporeality extends beyond the physical to encompass the cultural, historical, and political. In the context of Taha’s theatre, the representation of the body serves multiple critical functions:
- Collapse of National Identity
Taha’s portrayal of the body reflects the disintegration of Iraqi national identity following the invasion in 2003. The symbols and physical expressions used in his theatre capture the profound impact of war on the collective sense of self and national pride. The use of disparate and often conflicting symbols, such as the burka, boxing glove, dead soldier’s shirt, and clown’s nose, is representative of the fragmentation and confusion experienced by the Iraqi people, a fragmentation that was the result of both external invasion and internal cultural and political upheaval. Midhin et al (2021: 306) state that “the damage caused to Iraq by previous invaders –whether British, American, or, further back, Ottoman, Mongol, Arabic, Persian, etc. – has created a cycle of violence and unrest that will continue to plague the country … for many years to come.” - Registration of Trauma
The body in Taha’s theatre becomes a canvas for the trauma of war. Through physical performance and symbolic objects, Taha registers the deep psychological and emotional scars inflicted by conflict. The corporeal depiction of pain, loss, and resilience makes the abstract trauma of war tangible and visceral to the audience. By situating the body within specific historical and cultural contexts, Taha emphasizes the broader implications of war. The body is not just a victim of physical violence but also a bearer of cultural and historical burdens. - Geographical and Spatial Dimensions
Khammas’s assertion that “we are what our bodies are, and if our bodies are there, we are there” (21) highlights the intrinsic link between physical presence and identity. In Taha’s theatre, this concept is used to explore how geographical displacement and the destruction of physical spaces affect personal and collective identities. The body, as Khammas suggests, is shaped by its historical, cultural, social, and geographical locales. Taha’s use of diverse symbols and performative elements reflects the varied experiences of the Iraqi people, acknowledging the multiplicity of identities and the nuanced impacts of war. - Political Implications
As discussed previously, the political portrayal of the body in the media plays a crucial role in shaping perceptions. Taha’s theatre critiques such portrayals by highlighting the discrepancies and manipulations in media representations. The body becomes a site of political resistance, challenging the dominant narratives imposed by both Iraqi state media and Western outlets. By reclaiming the body from these manipulated narratives, Taha empowers the Iraqi people to redefine their identity and history. This reclamation, on the one hand, is an act of resistance against both the physical and ideological colonization that was experienced both during and after the invasion.On the other hand, presenting the body on stage “serves as the site where the self apprehends the pain of the other.” As such, “alternative modes of ethical engagement emerge” (Stanton 115). As in Theatre of Operations, viewing Iraqi bodies on stage is indicative of the violence against Iraqis and the ethical question of the United States’ war on Iraq.
The significance of the body in the context of Taha’s work and the broader discourse on the war in Iraq can be further elucidated by examining Jenna Pitchford’s 2011 article “Global War on Terror”. In her essay, Pitchford analyzes the war via the blog entries of Iraqi bloggers Salam Pax and “Riverbend”, providing a personal and poignant perspective on the impact of the war on Iraqi bodies and lives. According to “Riverbend”, in the early days of the American occupation, many Iraqis were opposed to their military presence but did not otherwise show any overt hostility towards US soldiers. This initial reaction reflects a complex mix of apprehension, hope for stability, and skepticism. The occupation continued, and media coverage increasingly highlighted the casualties and mistreatment of Iraqis by American forces. The growing number of incidents involving the killing, shooting, and abuse of Iraqi civilians led to a shift in public sentiment, where the direct targeting and victimization of Iraqi bodies—friends, family members, and neighbors—played a crucial role in this shift. Midhin and Clare (2022, 4) argue that “The destructive nature of the American occupation of Iraq was clearly relevant to potential Iraqi audience members and readers, but it was also relevant to people around the world.” The visibility of these bodies, especially in images of Abu Ghraib in the media underscored the tangible human cost of the occupation, fueling resentment and hostility towards the occupying forces.
The experiences documented by Salam Pax and “Riverbend” emphasize the physical and emotional trauma inflicted on Iraqi civilians. In the film, the body becomes a powerful symbol of the suffering and resistance of the Iraqi people; Taha’s theatrical representations echo this reality by highlighting their corporeal experiences. The use of physical symbols and performance to depict the body underscores the intimate connection between personal trauma and broader political conflicts. The body in Taha’s work is not just a passive victim but an active site of cultural and historical significance. The depiction of the body within the framework of Arab-Islamic heritage, coupled with the impact of modern political events, creates a layered narrative that reflects the complexity of Iraqi identity and history.
The increasing hostility towards the American forces in Iraq post-2003 invasion, as described by “Riverbend”, illustrates the political awakening and resistance to such of the Iraqi people. The body becomes a battleground for power and control, reflecting the broader struggle for autonomy and dignity. Further critiquing the media portrayal of the body, Taha challenges the simplistic narratives of liberation and democracy. By focusing on the corporeal realities of war, he highlights the discrepancy between the proclaimed goals of the occupation and the lived experiences of Iraqis. The importance of the body in Taha’s theatre, as well as in the broader narrative of the Iraq war, can be better understood through the lens of personal accounts, much like those of “Riverbend” and Salam Pax. Jenna Pitchford’s article “Global War on Terror” underscores how the physical and emotional impact of the war on Iraqi bodies catalyzed a shift in public sentiment and resistance. Accordingly, the use of the body in theatrical performances go beyond the specific connotation of nudity to comment on such vital world political issues as race, culture, and identity. Merleau-Ponty suggests “that the body transcends specificity: ̒To have a body is to possess a universal setting, a schema of all types of perceptual unfolding and of all those inter-sensory correspondences, which lie beyond the segment of the world which we are actually perceiving’” (qtd. in Sweeney 34).
Taha’s representation of the body captures this dynamic, emphasizing the cultural, historical, and political dimensions of corporeality. By doing so, Taha not only documents the trauma and suffering of the Iraqi people but also directly challenges the dominant narratives surrounding the war, advocating a more nuanced and human-centered understanding of conflict and identity.
NOTE: Farah Ali would like to thank Feisal Farah for his insightful comments and suggestions.
Endnotes
[1] Taha cites René Descartes’s Meditations of First Philosophy: With Selections from the Objections and Replies. Translated by Michael Moriarty, Oxford UP, 2008, especially the Sixth Meditations.
[2] According to Gallagher a number of philosophers have taken up this view too. Richard Shusterman in his Body Consciousness: A Philosophy of Mindfulness and Somaesthetics heeds William James’s warning that “heightened consciousness of the bodily means of actions leads to failure in achieving our desired ends” (Shusterman xi).
[3] Taha Taha reminds us of Pozzo’s words in Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot: “They give birth astride of a grave, the light gleams an instant, then it’s night once more” (Act II, 57).
[4] Archetype is referred to in its etymological sense as an original model: the literal translation from the Ancient Greek is arkhē [origin] typos [model]. From this reading archetypes are original models that we encounter on a daily basis in various forms such as, for example, the actor, the soldier or the woman. They especially proliferate in literature and theatre because of the essential knowledge and experience we all have of these models: a mother figure or a portrait of a soldier hanging on the living room wall and so on (Tahan 18).
[5] See here (Accessed on 20 Aug. 2024).
[6] Taiso means gymnastics in Japanese as Michizo Noguchi discovered how alive and tangible his body was while he was practising gymnastics and hence the approaches name.
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*Farah Ali (PhD), Assistant professor of English at Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). Previously, a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the University of Hull (UK). Her area of interest is Post-War British Theatre, in which she focuses on identity politics, power, oppression, and gender issues. Her thesis was based on the identity predicament in selected works of Harold Pinter which was then published as book with Routledge, titled: Eroding the Language of Freedom: Identity Predicament in Selected Works of Harold Pinter, 2017. She is currently working on a second manuscript in which she discusses the theme of the female figure and diaspora fiction in Europe.
**Majeed Mohammed Midhin is Professor in Literature and Contemporary British Drama at the University of Anbar, Iraq. In 2017 he obtained a PhD in Literature from the University of Essex under the supervision of Dr. Clare Finburgh and Dr. Elizabeth J. Kuti. He also has an MA in English Literature from the University of Baghdad’s College of Languages. His primary field of interest is modern and contemporary British drama as it affects the immediate needs of people in society. He has published widely on British theatre and Shakespearean drama, and has participated in many colloquiums, conferences, and seminars in and beyond the UK. His article “National Cultural History and Transnational Political Concerns in Rasha Fadhil’s ‘Ishtar in Baghdad'” was awarded “the best article prize, 2022,” by The Janovics Center Award for Outstanding Humanities Research in Transnational Film and Theatre Studies, Romania.
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Critical Stages/Scènes critiques, #31, June 2025
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