GOATS Royal Court Theatre

Liwaa Yazji’s play describes life in Syria under a dictatorship. 16-year-olds, forced to enlist, are being slaughtered in the civil war. The government offers a mountain goat for the family of each martyr. The satire is at its best when the TV presenter is on stage. “What a heart-warming sight to see the village full of goats,” she gushes. There are 17 scenes, far too many and too many poorly acted. What Yazji has to say would be far better said in a documentary?