Academic watched Shakespeare in Ukrainian bomb shelters

Prof Cinpoes saw Romeo and Juliet performed in a bomb shelter in Ukraine

A university academic watched Shakespeare performed in a bomb shelter during an eye-opening trip to Ukraine.

Nicoleta Cinpoeş, professor of Shakespeare Studies at the University of Worcester, visited the war-torn country to meet with a theatre company.

Professor Cinpoes said actors were recognised as playing an important role in "preserving the heritage of the country for the future".

She has now pledged to support theatre in the country.

Professor Cinpoeş is offering Ukrainian artists and theatre makers online teaching and said she would like to work with them on future academic projects.

By doing this, she hopes they can get work published and share Ukrainian culture and theatre with the world.

She has also successfully lobbied for an International Shakespeare Festival to be held in in Ukraine, in June next year.

Nicoleta Cinpoeş said it was important to support Ukrainian theatre

The academic made the visit to Ukraine while on an eight-month Fellowship with the University of Warsaw and said she wanted to find out how she could help the nation preserve its theatrical heritage.

Ukrainian students had told her they found the "social engagement" of theatre important and she was invited to see for herself the impact of the war on Lviv, Ternopil and Zaporizhzhia.

She also visited the city of Ivano-Frankivsk where she met cast and staff at the Ivan Franco National Theatre.

She said: "I saw Romeo and Juliet in the theatre bunker and an adaptation of Lesya Ukrainka's work in the theatre basement newly fitted to withstand bombs raids and shelling.

"Productions are sold out because people need to maintain some sense of worth and normality."

Afterwards, Professor Cinpoes said: "It's really important to continue making theatre and to open the borders to Ukrainian artists and theatre makers to build awareness.

"Their buildings are being destroyed and their history is in danger too."