Yemeni theater pokes fun at government.

Summary: SANAA: When night falls on Sanaa, one of those Middle East capitals nowadays resonating with calls for democratic change, the revolutionaries shift their struggle from the streets to an open-air stage at the local university. The bleachers go up, the lights are hung, the crowds gather and an imaginary curtain rises on the premier theater in the Yemeni capital

By Jamal al-Jabiri

Agence France Presse

SANAA: When night falls on Sanaa, one of those Middle East capitals nowadays resonating with calls for democratic change, the revolutionaries shift their struggle from the streets to an open-air stage at the local university.

The bleachers go up, the lights are hung, the crowds gather and an imaginary curtain rises on the premier theater in the Yemeni capital, a city without cinemas where entertainment normally revolves around drinking tea and gnawing qat.

"I was born when President Ali Abdullah Saleh came to power," says actor and director Ali al-Saadani, who is among those demanding greater democracy in the republic, widely regarded as the most-impoverished in the Arabian Peninsula.

Like many other privileged young Yemenis, Ali left his homeland to study abroad but when he returned he was confronted with what his fellow youths now want to change -- a static society where patronage is king.

"I couldn't get a job with Yemeni TV because I had no support," says the artist who has eagerly embraced the new spirit of open debate to write satirical sketches lampooning the government.

The shows begin nightly at 9 p.m. with a performance of devotional songs from musicians of the Al-Islah Islamic party.

Then the real fun begins, as professional and amateur actors perform a colorful revue of punchy sketches with uncompromising titles like "The corrupt regime" or "The bribe" or "The people want the regime to fall."

Any time an actor mentions President Saleh by name, the crowd erupts with cries of "get lost!"

Ahmad al-Chammari passes through the rows of spectators offering hot cups of tea, the beverage of choice on cool evenings in a city located some 2,000 meters above sea level.

"I graduated from the University of Sanaa two years ago and I'm still unemployed," he says. "But many of those who completed their studies after me have become managers because of their connections."

On the stage, the actors play out a scene that has become familiar to Yemenis after weeks of protests that have left at least 27 people dead since late January, according to a toll compiled by Amnesty International.

A gang of thugs in the pay of the regime beats student protesters with batons, sending them fleeing for their lives.

Their mission accomplished, the strongmen head to the ministry to get their money, but are denied. The bad guys turn their blows on the minister, and the crowd applauds with approval.

In such moments of levity, the Yemenis' favorite pastime -- qat-chewing -- is never far away. Sellers of the mildly stimulating plant are also embracing the heady spirit of the times.

Ali Moqdam sells the fresh green leaves from a small tent with a banner that proclaims: "The people want the fall of the regime." He says it's the only work he's been able to get for more than a decade.

The outdoor theater in Sanaa is a welcome distraction in a city without a single cinema. More than that, it is a source of encouragement for the student protesters who have camped at the university since Feb. 21.

The students hope their camp will become a rallying point for democratic change like Egypt's Tahrir square ahead of the downfall of Hosni Mubarak's autocratic regime last month.

However, the drama of Yemen is still only in the third act, and the final denouement could go either way.

Two of the most important characters in the ouster of Mubarak -- the Egyptian military and the United States -- have yet to make an appearance on the Yemeni stage.

Copyright 2011, The Daily Star. All rights reserved.

Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company

Article Details

Printer friendly Cite/link Email Feedback
Publication:	The Daily Star (Beirut, Lebanon)
Geographic Code:	7YEME
Date:	Mar 10, 2011
Words:	670
Previous Article:	Sader: Banks need tougher measures to guard against money laundering.
Next Article:	Prince Alwaleed plans to invest $267 million in Saudi market.
Topics:	News agencies