Eleven young women - using their pens, paints, and voices to share their memories and experiences since the Taliban took power in 2021 and their hopes and dreams for a better future.

In Ay Kash / ای کاش / If Only, the space is held by the presence of Rachel Karafistan of Cosmino Theatre, yet it is the voices, films, songs, and drawings of the eleven young women in Afghanistan that take centre stage. The material for the show has been exclusively collected via Telegram under the constant pressure of lack of electricity, internet access and Taliban surveillance.

These young women have many things they wish to share with the world: their personal stories since the Taliban’s rise to power, the tales of their mothers and grandmothers and most importantly, they wish to express their hopes and dreams for a better future. Their stories burst into life through a blend of song, object theatre, storytelling, and a touch of AI. The performance is further enhanced by animations—designed to protect the creators—by Berlin artist Anna Benner, based on 10-second films provided by each young woman.

Presented by Under the Starry Afghan Sky Collective with Cosmino Theatre. In Persian and English with English subtitles throughout.