Early Kali Theatre productions
Song of Sanctuary
1991
by Rukhsana Ahmad
October - November 1991
London | Liverpool | Birmingham | Norwich | Rotherham
Song for a Sanctuary was Kali Theatre first production. The play was based on the true story of Balwant Kaur, a woman who was murdered by her husband in 1985, whose death was underreported. Set in a South London refuge, the play focuses on the lives and experiences of women who seek shelter after experiencing abuse. The story explores themes of domestic violence and abuse from different cultural perspectives.
When actress Rita Wolf heard that Ahmad was writing this play, she pursued her and after receiving an Arts Council grant, they set up Kali Theatre Company with Song for a Sanctuary as their first production.
Dramatic encounters
1994
Dramatic Encounters was a rehearsed readings of new plays by Black and Asian women. The mini-festival was presented in partnership with Oval House.
Relatively Sane by Parm Kaur
Directed by Anne Edyvean
This play tells the story of a young Asian woman, Sunie and her fierce battle to come to terms with the lunatic world around her.
I Won’t Let you Go by Sangeeta Datta
Directed by Arti Prashar
Nisha travels to India in search of her mother Maya, but is her surprise visit really welcome?
Daag Daag Ujaala by Shahida Omarshah
Directed by Deborah Bestwick
Amidst the communal violence of the partition, two women struggle. Beti fears for the safety of her baby, but her commitment to a woman she does not want to betray forces her to risk everything.
Today Shakuntala by Mo Bannerjee
Directed by Olusola Oyleye
Fate is playing an active part in trying to bring together two lovers who met in previous lives. Can it succeed against the odds of their brittle lives?
The Ecstasy by Anu Kumar
Directed by Ravi Kapoor
A poetic drama about a relationship between an upper class Asian sculptor Anthony and his nude Liverpudlian model Jackie, and how Krishna fits into their lives.
Mango and Sacher Torte by Bettina Gracias
Directed by Helena Bell
As Jasmine and David eat at a restaurant, the goddess Kali and a nun engage in a battle for their souls.
Reading: MEETING THE sPHINX
1995
by Rukhsana Ahmad
Meeting the Sphinx was a rehearsed reading of a work in progress set against a backdrop of student unrest at a London University. The story centres a challenging encounter between a reputable middle-aged Egypologist and Ms Happy Dossa, a fairly young woman whose appearance is racially unclassifiable.
Directed by Helena Bell
Natural world
1997
by Joyoti Grech
Kali’s second production Natural World tells the story of Benita, a teenager who loses her Bengali mother at an early age to cancer and her father, an Italian jazz musician, who forsakes playing due to an injury. First performed on 20 February 1997, the play discusses the themes of love and loss as Benita begins to explore her own sexuality with friend and classmate Laura Lee, while her father is forced to cope with his own loss and the changes that are confronting his family.
The cast of Natural World include: Nathalie Armin as Laura Lee and Radhika, Ravin Ganatra as Beppe and Martin and Nina Wadia as Benita and Angie. The production team included: Set Designer, Carla Eve Amie, and Lighting Director, Crin Claxton.
Natural World toured in 1997 to the following venues: Oval House and the Tara Arts Studio in London and nationwide, at the Theatre In The Mill, Bradford, The Gantry in Southampton, Haymarket Studio in Leicester, The Drum in Birmingham, Redgrave Theatre in Bristol and the Hawth Theatre in Crawley.
Directed by Anne Edyvean
The ecstasy
1999
by Joyoti Grech
The Ecstasy depicts the relationship between three people, Amit, a sculptor, Jackie, an older woman who becomes Amit’s model and friend, and Sanjay, his boyfriend. It deals with themes of love, friendship and homosexuality.
“Writing, direction and cast combine to create a compelling rhythm that neatly captures the sustained concentration… Clearly a knock-out production.”
– The Stage
Directed by Helena Bell
The Ecstasy was first performed on 4 March 1999 and was part of Kali Theatre’s first double-bill production, Love Comes in at the Window, alongside Black Shalwar.
black shalwar
1999
by Rukhsana Ahmad
Rukhsana Ahmad’s adaptation of Saadat Hasan Manto’s short story ‘Kali Shalwar’ is set in pre-partition India and explores the life of Sultana, a prostitute, whose attempts at finding love are unsuccessful.
The cast of The Ecstasy and Black Shalwar include: Ashvin Kumar Joshi as Sankar, Adele Salem as Sultana and Royce Ullah as Khuda Buksh.
Directed by Helena Bell
Black Shalwar was first performed on 4 March 1999 and was part of Kali Theatre’s first double-bill production, Love Comes in at the Window, alongside The Ecstasy.
The production team for Love Comes in at the Window include: Set Designer, Sophia Lovell Smith and Lighting Designer, David Lawrence.
Love Comes in at the Window played in London at the Oval House, and toured in 1999 to the following venues: the Harrow Arts Centre, Watermans Art Centre in Brentford, The Mill Arts Centre in Banbury, The South Street Arts Centre in Reading, The Chipping Norton Theatre, Maltings Arts Centre in St. Alban’s, The Gantry in Southampton, Bowen West Theatre in Bedford, Darlington Arts Centre in Darlington, Live Theatre in Newcastle-Upon Tyne, Queen Elizabeth Hall in Bristol and the Hawth Theatre in Crawley.
Meri kahani
2000
Meri Kahani (My Story) was funded by the Millennium Festival Commission and was produced in partnership with Southall Black Sisters (SBS), a London based women’s organisation which helps victims of domestic violence.
Meri Kahani took place at Watermans Arts Centre, and was the result of a series of creative writing mentorship workshops for SBS members.
The stories that emerged in various languages, were dramatised and performed by actors, and in some cases, the writers themselves.
The stories featured were: ‘Veil’ by Yasmin Khan, ‘A True Story’ by Fiaz Ghaus, ‘Shazia’s Story’ by Samia Khan, ‘Goodnight Butterfly’ by Manjinder Virk, ‘A Journey to the Unknown’ by Fayeeza Hanoush, ‘A Letter to my Mother’ by Norma Lloyd, ‘Meri Kahani’ by Joginder Kaur, ‘Relatively Sane’ by Parm Kaur, ‘Woh Kaisa Chor Tha’ by Bobbie Wasson, ‘Tea & Jalebies’ by Bettina Gracias, ‘Lingerie’ by Freda Obado, ‘A Quick Chat’ by Kam Dhenjan and ‘The Dirty Mattress’ by Rahila Gupta. The event took place at the Waterman Arts Centre in Middlesex.
Directors: Helena Bell, Shakila Maan, Parminder Sekhon, Rita Wolf
Cast included: Seema Bowri, Deni Frances, Nitin Ganatra, Shivani Ghai, Harmaje Singh Kalirai, Joginder Kaur, Parminder Sekhon, Norma Lloyd, Bobbie Wasson
Dramaturg: Penny Gold
