Hardened fighters of Iraq's Shiite former paramilitary Hashed al-Shaabi are seeking a new avenue to exert their influence: the theatre. Dubbed the "biggest theatrical production in Iraq", the pro-Iran Hashed -- formally integrated into the government forces in 2019 -- has sought a captive audience in the impoverished, predominantly Shiite southern city of Basra. The events of the play stretch from the dawn of time in the Garden of Eden to more recent events -- most notably Washington's killing of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani and the Hashed's own deputy leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES