Syrian theatre group has no costumes, no sets and no lights. Despite these setbacks, they're proving to be a bright spot in the small town of Jasim in southern Syria.
After seven years away from his home country, Muayad Askar left the life he had built in the UAE as an interior designer to be in his hometown of Jasim in Daraa province, and work towards his dream of reviving Syria's theatre culture.
He trains actors, as part of a new performance group he calls 'Morphine' after the painkiller. He says he hopes to relieve the suffering of his people through his plays.
Our message here is focused on the Syrian people, on what they want, on their lives.
He says his plays are "like daydreams of what life could be like without war; some are outlandish, involving mansions and Lamborghinis, while others are simply nostalgic for normal life."
Muayad says even a normal life in Daraa is a fantasy.
That may be because it's where the Syrian uprising began in 2011, with an escalating crackdown on anti-regime protests.
Since then, the UN refugee agency reports the conflict has forced 5.4 million people to leave the country.
But Muayad wants to highlight a very different side of the Syrian story.
We have art and culture and we have talented people who need to be supported. Regardless of the war and bombing, we are human beings and we deserve life.
They've just begun to perform, and say they want to expand in Daraa, rebuilding cultural centres destroyed by the war.
With Syria at war, dreams in Daraa wont easily move from the stage to reality.
But by helping his people through theatre, Muayad has a chance to realise his own dreams.
TRT World's Sarah Balter reports.
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