Stand-up comedy show brings rare joy to besieged Yemen city

Stand-up comedy show brings rare joy to besieged Yemen city
Residents of a besieged Yemeni city have organised a stand up comedy show during the holy month of Ramadan to raise spirits amid the ongoing civil war.
2 min read
13 June, 2018
Taiz has been besieged by Houthi rebels on the outskirts since 2015 [Facebook]

Residents of a besieged Yemeni city have organised a stand up comedy show during the holy month of Ramadan to raise spirits amid the ongoing civil war.

Hundreds of locals attended the comedy festival, organised by the Yemeni Ministry of Culture, in the southwest city of Taiz on Tuesday, The New Arab's Arabic-language sister publication reported.

"Some people want there to be death, but we want to try to create life," said culture official Abdel Khaliq Seif.

"There are some people who smile over bloodshed but we bandage our wounds with laughter," he added.

Children and adults alike flocked to the show at a school, where local comedians attempted to make light of the harsh conditions in the large city has endured over the past three years, local media reported.

All proceeds raised by the event were donated to poor families in the city.

"These kinds of shows remind me of the good old days in Taiz that were such a source of happiness," said attendee Mohammed al-Amiri.

Taiz has been besieged by Houthi rebels on the outskirts - and by competing anti-rebel forces inside the city itself since 2015.

The rebels have been accused of preventing the delivery of food and medical supplies to the divided city.

Tags