Breaking down barriers with Shakespeare's age-old question

It's one of William Shakespeare's most existential questions: "To be or not to be?"

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London — It's one of William Shakespeare's most existential questions: "To be or not to be?"

Now a group of globe-trotting Peruvian actors with Down syndrome are tackling it head-on, breaking down prejudice and barriers.

Cristina Leon, Jaime Cruz and Manuel Garcia are members of the eight-strong group that performed Hamlet at London's Barbican centre last week.

"This play shows there are no barriers, that we can do lots of things, and people must open their eyes to the fact that we can do anything they ask us," Leon, 32, said.

The project was launched seven years ago, born out of Cruz's dreams of becoming an actor.

He was working as an usher in the Teatro La Plaza in Lima and had never thought that his Down syndrome was an obstacle in life.