- Title: 'Time to laugh': Stand up-comedy group presents own version of satire in Syria
- Date: 14th May 2023
- Summary: DAMASCUS, SYRIA (MAY 12, 2023) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF STAND-UP COMEDY SHOW IN PROGRESS VARIOUS OF AUDIENCE LAUGHING SIGN READING (English): 'STYRIA' (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FOUNDER OF STYRIA COMEDY GROUP, SHARIF HOMSI, SAYING: "I feel that in Syria, it is time for us to laugh at what is happening with us because I travelled in 2016 and returned in 2021. It is time that we laugh
- Embargoed: 28th May 2023 13:13
- Keywords: Comedy Syra audience show
- Location: DAMASCUS, SYRIA
- City: DAMASCUS, SYRIA
- Country: Syria
- Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Middle East,Theatre
- Reuters ID: LVA001232714052023RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:In a small coffee shop in the Syrian capital Damascus, a growing crowd comes to laugh their problems away at a stand-up comedy show.
STYRIA is said to be the country's first stand-up comedy group, trying to walk a delicate line between entertaining its audience and avoiding contentious issues such as politics, religion, and other topics in a country torn by civil war for 12 years.
Leading a group of 14 comedians, founder Sharif Homsi, says it is essential for Syrians to challenge their daily problems with satire.
"It is time for us to laugh at what is happening to us," he said.
The group was founded in 2022, attracting new audiences eager to share a laugh at the weekend.
(Production: Firas Makdesi, Kinda Makieh) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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