Bosnian play based on London yobs

A new festival play about classroom culture in Bosnia during the post-war years has been based on yob culture in 1970s London.

Class Enemy, originally penned by the playwright Nigel Williams, has been adapted by the acclaimed Bosnian director Haris Pasovic.

It is set in post-war Sarajevo, where classroom violence has escalated since the war ended 13 years previously.

The show ends its run at the Edinburgh International Festival on Saturday.

Actors in the play, which recalls the drama of pupils barricading themselves into a classroom, also lived through the four-year siege in Sarajevo.

Amar Selimovic, who was 10 when it began, told BBC Scotland: "At the beginning it was very frightening because of the bombs, because of the guns, there were always people being killed. For a young man it was very frustrating.

"I live with that frustration and I remember everything and I have those images and pictures in my head."

Mr Pasovic said the suffering left its mark on those who grew up in the war.

"The actors attended the classes and made friendships with the students," he said.

"They wanted to get closer to their life situation and what we found was very shocking and devastating in some cases.

"Many of them come from poor families, many of them lost their parents in the war or some siblings or some relatives, some are drug addicts and some are exposed to domestic violence."

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