Struggling artistes bring smiles

In a war-weary Yemen, a comedy play showcasing the country's hardships, was an instant hit

Sanaa: Yemeni men, women and children filled a hall earlier this month in rebel-held Sanaa, laughing and clapping as actors took to the stage with comic relief for their war-wracked country.

Hoping to provide entertainment to the embattled population, a troupe of struggling artists performed in the capital Sanaa a play called Yemeni Film, which showcased the country’s hardships. It revolved around young people who want to produce a film but face a mountain of challenges, including violence, air strikes, a lack of funding and a shortage of trained actors.

In an effort to avoid the minefields of political sensitivities and any backlash, the actors turned to comedy to paint a picture of their ordeal. For the dozens of men, women and children who packed a Sanaa cultural centre, it was a welcome respite from their daily struggles.

They cheered, whistled and laughed openly, as they sat side by side with no face masks, despite coronavirus dangers.”We, as struggling artists, cannot provide food aid or stop the ongoing conflict,” Mohammed Khaled, the director of the play, shared. “All we can do is offer the people entertainment to take them out of their current situation and an artistic message that they can enjoy.”

“This play talks about me, and all the artists and filmmakers in Yemen who are struggling,” he said.Before the war, Yemen had a small but budding film and theatre industry but there were only a handful of makeshift cinemas that showed old films, while often cultural centres or schools provided the backdrop for plays that spoke of politics or significant moments in Yemeni history.

Over the years, some films produced by Yemenis grabbed headlines. Karama Has No Walls, a documentary short by Sara Ishaq, was an Oscar-nominated movie in 2014 that told the story of 2011 protests in Sanaa. The documentary I am Nojoom, Age 10 and Divorced – the real story of a child bride – was submitted for consideration at the 2017 Academy Awards but not selected. “The biggest problem that we face is that there are no movie theatres,” said Khaled.