In 2011, Leish Troupe decided to stop working. To do that for almost five years was indeed a difficult choice; but it wasn’t going to be as difficult as performing in the midst of violence. Many Syrian artists made the same choice right away. Those painters, actors, directors, scenographers, musicians, video-artists, dancers and choreographers decided to stay in their country despite always having the option and the opportunity to leave. As artists in the middle of war, we had –and still have- three choices: One is to be prejudiced to one party and employ art in an armed-conflict, which would eventually result into nothing but more violence. Two, is to vividly portray the cruel reality without taking a step away from the painful everyday details; which would lead into mere drainage. And the third choice would be to deny the reality, keep working as if nothing is going on, and thus art  art will loose it’s sole purpose. In time of war, art’s role is neither methodized with theories nor framed wit... Read more