Shakespeare in Yemen: Tragedy offers respite from war

"To be, or not to be": on a stage in Yemen, William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" rings out in Arabic, a tragedy that resonates with an audience suffering from years of civil war.

In the government-controlled city of Aden, battered by the conflict, the first performance of a Shakespeare play in many years has resurrected hopes of a cultural revival.

"We are hungry for these kinds of events," said Heba al-Bakri, watching one of a sold-out run of 10 shows. "Our people are always distressed and exhausted, so we need this kind of entertainment."

As the actors took their bows, applause roared out and the audience rose for a standing ovation.

The savage bloodshed, murder, revenge, power struggles and moral dilemmas told in the famous tragedy by the English playwright were written over 400 years ago but on stage in Yemen today, the play holds power.

Yemen, the poorest country on the Arabian peninsula, has been at war since 2014 when Iran-backed Huthi rebels seized the capital Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene the following year.

The country has been left in ruins, hundreds of thousands of people have died, and many more have been pushed to the brink of famine.

Director Amr Gamal, founder of the Khaleej Aden Theater Troupe, feared there might have been only "limited interest," but is now planning a second round of shows after its success.

The three-hour performance has gripped the audience.

"They do not leave the room before the play ends," said Gamal, who also directed the feature film "Ten Days Before the Wedding," a love story which Yemen named as their official submission to the 2018 Oscars.

Yemen, renowned for its rich cultural heritage, has a long history of performing Shakespeare in...

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