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Belarus is said to be Europe's last dictatorship, a country damned as an outpost of tyranny by the US. Despite some slight easing of tension with the West in recent years, Alexander Lukashenko, the president of Belarus, still rules his country with an iron fist. Critics of his regime fear for their lives when they voice their opposition.

But despite these oppressive conditions, Belarus is home to an extraordinary underground theatre group, a band of dedicated actors who use their creative force to speak out for democracy. Banned by the authorities and performing secretly in private houses, the troup has no regular base, gets no press reviews and the audiences are kept in the dark about the venue until the very last minute. Each performance could be their last.

In Free Theatre of Belarus, Witness follows Elyssa Livergant, an acclaimed Canadian playwriter and theatre teacher, as she secretly travels from London to Minsk to collaborate with the Free Theater of Belarus. It is a rare glimpse into this closed society, a powerful testament to the struggle for freedom of expression, and a moving story about the power of art.

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About Al Jazeera - Witness

Rageh Omaar presents Witness, a half-hour daily documentary series which features short, specially commissioned or acquired films gathered from independent filmmakers.
 
Each documentary reveals the unknown lives of ordinary people, following their lives, telling their stories and portraying the challenges that confront them. Our witnesses are people in a situation or those who have observed them first hand.
 
The films cover conflict, belief, the past and the future and as well as bringing new stories to light they showcase the talents of a new breed of multi-skilled, frontline journalist. In the studio, Rageh will further explore the issues raised in the films, with expert guests on the subject matter and the filmmakers themselves.

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