Advice to Iraqi Women

Synopsis

A disembodied voice delivers a stream of safety instructions, seemingly to Iraqi women, in an increasingly surreal and menacing tone

The play consists of a series of ostensibly well-meaning but increasingly paranoid and controlling pieces of advice directed at women, presumably Iraqi, on how to protect their children from harm. Beginning with mundane safety tips like wearing helmets and knee pads, the advice quickly escalates to portray the entire world – from homes to cars to gardens – as a minefield of potential dangers.

Crimp’s work is a biting satire on Western attitudes towards safety, parenting, and the perception of other cultures. Through its relentless barrage of safety instructions, the play explores themes of paranoia, cultural imperialism, and the absurdity of modern life. The escalating nature of the advice, moving from reasonable precautions to extreme measures, serves as a metaphor for the ways in which fear and over-protection can become oppressive forces.