SHAKESPEARE IN THE P...ER...DARK

Halfway through an adaptation of William Shakespeare's Othello, the power at the al-Rashid Theater goes off.

An usher apologizes as the audience grumbles and the lead actor disgustedly shakes his head. But in a moment, he begins improvising, clicking his fingers and stomping his feet for sound effects, earning him an encouraging ovation.

Performing in sweltering heat and at the mercy of unreliable electricity, Ali Taleb and his Mardookh group of actors fight against all odds to complete the 45-minute adaptation, titled "Obey the Devil."

"The message we're trying to spread is that we still have life. Not all Iraqis are looters and nothing is impossible," said Taleb, the play's 28 year-old director and lead actor.

Good message. Spread faster.

Story here.