Theodore Dalrymple, the British author, has some interesting reports about Shakespeare in Africa, and so does the actress Dame Judi Dench.
The themes of human life never change. The Bible, obviously, is a uniquely inspired source, but Shakespeare and Homer are uniquely gifted human descriptors.
Audiences react to the themes of real life. Shakespeare and Homer and Greek tragedians get a good audience to this day, especially if an effort is made to modernize language. Writers of other drama, even something as utterly pop as “Hercules,” understand that you get a committed audience by presenting characters people care about in situations that reflect or amplify the concerns of everyone’s lives.
The Hebrew laws, yeah, unique. The “stories” only new to anyone not familiar with ancient Mesopotamian legend/fable/myth.