MISRATA, Libya — As desperation continues to plague young Libyans in light of the decadelong cycle of chaos, impunity and violence haunting the country, many artists are showcasing their work that holds a message rejecting war.

“Chocolate Egg,” which is currently playing in Libya’s western city of Misrata, is a dark comedy play that sheds light on the officials’ exploitation of the Libyan youth who are part of armed formations that uses them in their political and financial games.

Playwright Abdel Wahhab Haddad told Al-Monitor that the idea behind his play came from military parades that are frequently seen in Libya. “I asked myself what happened behind the scenes to prepare for this military show? Who directed this parade? Who distributed the roles between the bit part players marching in formation like robots in front of the show’s main characters sitting on the podium with their medals and military uniforms?” he said.

“These parades seemed to me surreal, almost comical, despite the director’s attempts to make them look serious. It occurred to me that these parades are not randomly put together, but rather orchestrated by those producing them,” Haddad added.