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Don't let the curtain go down
Production Company ORTV International
Commissioning Network Al Jazeera English
Number of Programmes 1 x 22 minutes
Year of production 2009
The Free Theatre of Belarus is one of the world’s most renowned theatre troupes. Yet they have no home, no reviews in their newspapers, and even the identity of their audience is hidden from the authorities. Why? They live under one of Europe’s last dictators – Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus. Critics of his regime don’t just lose their jobs, they can lose their lives, and Free Theatre, performing secretly in private houses, is one of the regime’s most vociferous critics.
Each performance by Free Theatre could be their last. This film follows Elyssa Livergrant, an acclaimed Canadian playwright and theatre teacher, as she travels from London to Minsk to collaborate with the troupe. ‘The Free Theatre of Belarus’ is a character-driven story about a struggle for freedom of expression and a story about the power of art.
Producer/directors: Karim Shah and Tom Dumican
Executive Producer: Jonathan Hacker
Facilities provided by Azimuth: Offline, Online & Grading, Audio Dubbing
Online Editor & Colourist: Neil Hatton
Dubbing Mixer: Ken Williams
Azimuth Post Production
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