RIYADH, Nov 28 (Reuters) - A play criticising religious hardliners in conservative Saudi Arabia descended into a brawl when angry Islamists stormed onto the stage, Saudi newspapers and Web sites reported on Tuesday.

As the play "Wasati Bila Wasatiya" (A Moderate without Moderation) began, a group of men surged forward to stop the performance at a cultural festival in the Yamama College in Riyadh on Monday, al-Hayat newspaper and Web site Elaph said.

Police fired shots into the air to break up violence which ensued, as the Islamists, students and actors threw chairs and attacked each other with sticks.

Al-Hayat published some pictures of the clashes.

Elaph said 17 men were arrested. An Interior Ministry spokesman was not available for comment.

There are no public theatre houses or cinemas in Saudi Arabia.

Islamist hardliners fear that liberals are gaining the upper hand in Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter which rules by strict Islamic law, after King Abdullah came to power last year supporting a reform agenda.

Militants swearing allegiance to al Qaeda launched a campaign to bring the U.S.-allied monarchy in 2003 but attacks have eased in the face of a security crackdown.

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