Dissident Belarus troupe fills London theatre (Reuters)

LONDON (Reuters) - Life in the former Soviet republic ofBelarus can test the creativity of non-conformists in the arts.

Independent-minded actors and writers say they have to walka fine line between pleasing censors in officially approvedtheatre and organising performances covertly, using elaborateploys to avoid detection.

The Belarus Free Theatre is one such group, using privateapartments and wooded areas around Minsk to which audiences areinvited via furtive text messages and phone calls on the day.

Yet this month the group is advertising openly and drawingfull houses for two plays at London's Soho Theatre.

Founded by Natalia Koliada and her husband Nikolai Khalezinin 2005, the group hopes to use clandestine theatre to changewhat it sees as the stifling hardline atmosphere created byveteran President Alexander Lukashenko.

Lukashenko is accused of crushing freedom of speech andassembly. He is barred from the United States and the EuropeanUnion, which say he rigged his re-election for a third term in2006.

"Because of the total control on media you cannot write orbroadcast anything, so the only thing was to write plays,"Koliada told Reuters. "The idea was to change the situation byway of the arts."

Most of the 23 members of the Belarus Free Theatre trainedin the national theatre, but were forced out after joining theindependent group, and many have since been arrested. Twomembers still working in state theatre were barred fromtraveling to Britain for the London dates.

The group does not have a wide audience in Belarus. In somecases, performers outnumber the audience. However, the group'sproduction of "Being Harold Pinter" in London is selling outand impressing the critics.

The play mixes the British playwright's taped acceptancespeech for the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize, excerpts from his playsand letters from Belarussian opposition activists who have runinto trouble with the authorities.

MORALITY, NOT POLITICS

The Free Theatre is supported by several Westerndramatists, including Pinter who allows it to perform his workwithout charging a fee, and Tom Stoppard who decided to visitBelarus after receiving a letter from the group.

"We don't talk about politics, we talk about morality,"Khalezin said, speaking through a translator.

"We do not stage political performances, but we always saythere is a dictatorship, there are political prisoners, thereare kidnappings and murders. We say everything we think,"Koliada said.

The "dictator" refers to Lukashenko, who, since coming topower in 1994 has consolidated control over all aspects ofpublic life.

Lukashenko remains broadly popular, especially outside thecapital, by exercising control over the economy, propping upwages and maintaining state subsidies. He says he has sparedhis 10 million compatriots the turmoil of other ex-Sovietstates.

Lukashenko routinely denounces Belarus's small liberal andnationalist opposition as treacherous and financed by the West.

In recent months, he has sought better ties with the Westand several of what his opponents call "political prisoners"have been freed. Activists say only three remain in jail.

The European Union has cautiously praised Belarussianauthorities for the releases and expressed the hope that aparliamentary election in September will herald further change.

The husband-and-wife team believe the EU should exert morepressure for change, effectively calling for economicsanctions.

"Nine countries of the EU still support dictatorshipbecause they trade with him," Koliada said, stressing this washer personal opinion. "Economic sanction is the only way."

"Any dictatorship can exist as long as it is financiallysupported," Khalezin added.

(Editing by Ron Popeski and Andrew Dobbie)