Baghdaddy

In 1991, the Gulf War is raging almost 3,300 miles away, yet for eight-year-old Darlee it arrives in her own classroom. Hiding in a corner by a rolling bookshelf, she is sobbing because she has just understood that she is Iraqi, or part of it, or possibly both. She had seen the news the night before, after her evening telly and a dinner of fish fingers, and had picked up the terror in her father's voice as he tried to reach family back home. Whatever she cannot make sense of now will follow her into adulthood, pursued by the spirits that will make sure she never forgets it.

Told through clowning and memory, the play examines cultural identity, trauma passed down through generations, and the bond between a father and daughter while conflict unfolds across the world. Its mix of humour and grief reflects the difficulty of growing up between two inheritances.

The work was a finalist for the 2024 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. This edition was released to mark the world premiere at the Royal Court Theatre in London in November 2022.