Three years ago theatre was banned in Afghanistan. Now there’s a national theatre festival – and even a play written by a woman, “The current revival is taking place in a climate of creative freedom. Many plays at the national festival have themes that are daring in Afghanistan – star-crossed lovers, hypocritical mullahs, corrupt provincial governors, smugglers of ancient cultural artifacts, and drug lords. But Afghans have not forgotten how to laugh – several plays take digs at doctors, policemen, and busybodies.”