1 F / 10 M / Female chorus
The intrepid author of studies of characters has created an epic. Shortly after the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, he managed to get himself smuggled into that beleaguered country via Pakistan. There he spent several weeks with the Afghan rebels, observing their often futile attempts to resist the Russians. He also observed the capture and execution of a Soviet tank crew. It was this incident which inspired Nanawatai (an Afghan word which means sanctuary). The story is told through the dual points of view of a Russian tank crew member and an Afghan rebel. A chorus of village women impresses upon us the effect on the citizenry of all the bloodshed.
