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Actors who sheltered in Ukraine's Mariupol theatre bring story of bombing to the stage

The Donetsk theatre in the city of Mariupol was supposed to be a place of safety for hundreds of civilians sheltering during the first few weeks of Russia's invasion in Ukraine. A sign bearing the word children was marked on the ground outside, visible from the air.

The Donetsk theatre in the city of Mariupol was supposed to be a place of safety for hundreds of civilians sheltering during the first few weeks of Russia's invasion in Ukraine. Mariupol Drama, a play which opens in the UK this week, features real video footage captured on their phones, and personal items saved from the rubble. After the start of Russia's invasion in February 2022, the theatre, in the city's Tsentralnyi district, became a hub for the distribution of medicine, food and water, and a designated gathering point for people hoping to be evacuated from Mariupol via humanitarian corridors.

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