Virtual theatre performance Sarees And Secrets, directed by Dhinesha Karthigesu, a multidisciplinary storyteller and theatremaker, examines the costs of keeping a secret.
This free admission hybrid show, which will be streamed via Zoom on Feb 26 at 8pm, is woven together by Sumitra Selvaraj, British theatre practitioner Abhi Arumbakkam and Dhinesha.
“We all have secrets. Every single one of us, and I want people to think about the cost of carrying those secrets,” says Sumitra, 44, a writer and producer, who stars this one-woman show.
Sarees And Secrets, which is a lighthearted, incisive and introspective hour-long story, will be presented in English, with a touch of Tamil. There will also be a live post-show discussion via Sumitra’s Instagram page.
Saree, a storytelling device
“The saree is a multigenerational garment. It is easy enough for it to be passed down to family members or even shared with friends.
“But when a saree in its unaltered form gets shared, I feel that it takes the experiences of the previous wearer in the very fabric of its being, to the life of the next wearer,” says Sumitra.
“And while a saree may grow physically lighter over time due to the decay of the material, it is increasingly weighed down by the collective secrets it accumulates,” she adds.
Sarees And Secrets, supported by the British Council’s Connections Through Culture grant, will also feature interactive moments throughout the performance.
During the show, Sumitra will be wearing and showcasing vintage sarees, some from the 1970s and 1980s (her mother’s) and mostly those she inherited from her atha (paternal grandmother), including some rare weaves from the 1950s.
Sumitra's love affair with sarees is not new. As the proud owner of nearly 250 sarees, she has consistently worn sarees for 25 years, from home to her corporate job and even the cinemas. Sumitra also documents her saree collection on her Sarees And Stories Instagram page, which has more than 73,000 followers.
Layers and folds
Sarees And Secrets would not have been possible without a fateful encounter last August when Abhi contacted Sumitra through her Instagram page.
Abhi found a British Council grant opportunity that required collaborating with an artist in South-East Asia. She approached Sumitra, who then welcomed Dhinesha into the fold.
After receiving the grant in October, the trio held regular virtual meet-ups and soon realised that the saree was a jump off point for deeper conversations on agency and identity.
“Just like a saree has yards and depths in its fabric, our secrets too have layers and folds. We carry them and wear them. To take care of a saree is to air it out. To wear it and use it.
"What happens if we do the same with our secrets? Instead of keeping them trapped in cupboards, what if we choose to take them out into the world? What is the worst that could happen? I believe that's why sarees and secrets are so entwined," says Dhinesha, who is part of theatre collective Theatresauce's Emerging Directors Lab programme.
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