The unseen realities of war brought to stage in Drama Society’s latest production

This is War
U of T Scarborough's Drama Society is opening the conversation to the realities of war in their latest production. (Photos by Tina Adamopoulos and Alexa Battler)

Students in U of T Scarborough’s Drama Society are using the stage to explore the often unseen realities of war in their latest production.

This is War is the fictional story of four Canadian soldiers who go blindly into a joint mission with the Afghan National Army, resulting in more than 163 Afghan civilians being killed. As each are interviewed by an unseen reporter, the soldiers reflect on their version of the tragic event.

“There’s a tendency to be ignorant towards life lost and I think that’s a big part of what the story is about,” says Malika Daya, the production’s director. She says the soldiers’ inability to see the value of human life are a result of them being blinded by following orders. 

Written in 2013 by Canadian playwright Hannah Moscovitch, the play is situated in Afghanistan between 2004 and 2005. Told through present day and flashbacks, the soldiers’ accounts cover incidents of PTSD, sexual assault and the weight of war.

“I think it’s a show that really makes you think and really put into perspective that war is not a civilized method of problem solving, it’s the opposite,” Daya says.

The production runs from Jan. 30 to Feb. 2 and features two casts.

Take a look at the production’s first night at the Leigha Brown Theatre.