Playbill from Atra's original dark comedy and three-time Jeff Award-winning play

​Iraq, But Funny

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Iraq, But Funny follows five generations of Assyrian women reclaiming their story

...as narrated by a British Colonizer 

(played by Asdou).
 

Filled with history, family, and dysfunction, Iraq, But Funny jauntily marches through time and space, starting at World War I and The Ottoman Empire to modern-day U.S.A.

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Debuted at Lookingglass Theatre 2025

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Written by Atra Asdou

Directed by Dalia Ashurina

Poster Image by Sandro Miller

Production Photos by Ricardo Adame

Photo Overlays by Allie DiSanto

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Awards:  MAPFund 2024, Venturous Grant 2025,

Joseph Jefferson "Jeff" Awards 2025 Wins:

Best Actor (Atra Asdou)

Best New Work (Atra Asdou)

Best Projection Design (Michael Commandatore)

Nominations: Best Production - Large

 

SELECT PRESS:​​​

"Asdou is both the creator and star of the show. She zings punch lines, improvs with the audience and delivers a badass Jennifer Coolidge impression. Asdou is nonstop comedic relief from the atrocious facts she is presenting."

- Block Club Chicago

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“Iraq, But Funny” will join “The Arabian Nights” and “Metamorphoses” at the top of the Lookingglass canon. It is not to be missed."

- New City Stage 

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"Asdou, a vet of Second City and iO, knows the craft of creating shorthand routes to big satirical laughs."

- The Chicago Reader