The Book of Ashes

By Emil Sher

Inspired by true events, The Book of Ashes chronicles the friendship between a young boy and the Iraqi librarian who saved over 30,000 books as foreign troops stormed the city of Basra in 2003. As an invasion looms we see young Amir filter an unpredictable world through the lens of the bonds with his mother, an elderly neighbour, and the librarian who shows him that a country's literature and its people are forever entwined.

NOTES ON PRODUCTION

• For casting - Ideally cast with five actors, The Book of Ashes can be staged with two women and two men, and doubling up includes manipulating the puppets that punctuate the play.
• Ideally, the play should be cast to reflect that it is set entirely in Iraq.
• Suitable for School Performances: Students age 10+