COUNTING AND CRACKING Fri 19 - Sat 27 Aug 2022
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
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Counting and Cracking is a Sri Lankan Australian play written by S. Shakthidharan and directed by Eamon Flack. It tells the story of one Sri Lankan family's journey through love, heartbreak, civil war and migration to Australia. The play is performed in English, Tamil and Sinhalese, with live translation into English. It lasts approximately 3 hours 30 minutes including 2 intervals. The production utilises theatrical haze and also contains smoking on stage. The recommended age is 14+. Learn more about the cast and creative team here
OUR SPACE Our new front door is located on Centenary Square, shown here. Our Box Office (left) and Foyer (right) are shown here. A Chill Out Space is available during the Relaxed Performance in Suite One on the first floor, with sensory lights and toys. A Quiet Room is available during all performances on the second floor. Please ask a member of staff if you would like to access these spaces. More information about accessibility at The Rep is available here.
SONIC STORY
Photo Credit: Brett Boardman
VISUAL STORY ACT 1
A group of performers come on stage to introduce the show and remind audiences to turn off their phones. During the play, the scenes change between various locations in Sri Lanka and Australia, and the years 2004, 1956, 1977 and 1983. We see younger and older actors playing the same character at different stages of life.
It’s 2004 in Australia, Radha and her son Siddhartha are at a river performing a burial ritual to release the ashes of Radha’s mother who has passed away. They need to go into the river to complete the ritual but Siddhartha is uncertain, Radha slaps him for disagreeing. He finally gets in and pours the ashes out to complete the ritual. We find out that Radha was not raised by her mother, but by her grandparents who have also passed away. She has her grandfather’s ashes and she asks the priest to do the burial ritual for him but the priest refuses and leaves.
Photo Credit: Brett Boardman
VISUAL STORY ACT 1
Photo Credit: Brett Boardman
VISUAL STORY ACT 1
Siddhartha meets a girl called Lily, they have been drinking at a party and leave together to have a conversation. He opens up and tells her how he moved out of home because he and his mum kept having arguments. He didn’t grow up knowing his father because he passed away when he was a baby.
Radha comes home from the ritual. She gets a visit from a Turkish man named Ismet to install an air conditioner. A Tamil fundraiser also comes looking for Siddhartha and tries to get money from Radha. He upsets her and she tells him to leave.
VISUAL STORY ACT 1
Ismet returns to begin fixing the air conditioner, she offers him a hot drink and some cake whilst they talk.
Photo Credit: Brett Boardman
VISUAL STORY ACT 1 In a prison cell, an unknown man walks around. Two jailers outside are listening to and talking about the cricket. Photo Credit: Brett Boardman
VISUAL STORY ACT 1
Ismet tells Siddhartha that he wants to take his mum out for dinner.
Photo Credit: Brett Boardman
Siddhartha, now at his mum ’ s house, is also listening to the cricket. Ismet enters and asks for his help to make a video call to his son, they go over to his office to set up the computer.
Lily visits Siddharta after he fixes the computer for Ismet and they go to the beach together.
A man called Sunil is walking around his house talking to someone on the phone. The unknown man in the prison cell walks into the house. We find out this is Radha’s husband, Thirru, who she thinks is dead. Thirru is informed that Radha is living in Australia with Siddharta. Thirru says he must go to Australia to visit his family. Hasa, an old friend, calls Radha to give the news that her husband is still alive. Radha is in shock and hangs up the phone. Thirru calls again and she asks him for some time.
Photo Credit: Brett Boardman
VISUAL STORY ACT 1
INTERVAL 1
There will now be a 20 minute interval. You can leave your seats to use the bathroom, get some refreshments or use our breakout room. You can also stay in your seats if you would prefer. As part of the experience, and included in the ticket price, audience members will enjoy a taste of Sri Lanka during the interval with small food bowls of vegetable curry, roti and rice.
It’s 1956 in Sri Lanka, Radha’s grandparents, Apah and Aacha and their maid, Nihinsa, are at home. Apah and Aacha’s daughter Dhamayanthi introduces baby Radha to the priest.
VISUAL STORY ACT 2
Apah’s friend Vinsanda comes over and they talk over tea. He tells him his life story and how he grew up enjoying maths. They speak of the political situation. Vinsanda wants Apah to vote for a Sinhala only policy but he disagrees.
Photo Credit: Brett Boardman
VISUAL STORY ACT 2
The scene changes back to 2004 Australia, Radha tells Siddhartha that his father is still alive, she wants them to speak. Hasa calls back and lets Siddhartha speak to his father Thirru. He tells him about his plans to come to Australia as a refugee.
VISUAL STORY ACT 2
It's 1977 in Sri Lanka. At a wedding at Apah and Aacha’s house we see a younger Thirru and his sister Swathi. They agree to let Swathi stay at the family home for a few days to protect her from the rising danger.
Radha enters and speaks with Thirru, they are interrupted by a servant who needs Radha’s help. When she returns Thirru gives her a note with a mathematical joke written on it. He tells her how Swathi’s friend was killed last week.
Photo Credit: Brett Boardman
Everyone is shocked and wants to find out what happened. They gather and speak about the political oppositions and tension between the Tamils and Sinhalese. Radha tells everyone that she will not marry Hasa because she wants to marry Thirru. They are shocked.
Photo Credit: Brett Boardman
VISUAL STORY ACT 2
Aacha wants Hasa and Radha to get married so she sends them outside together as Thirru watches on. Suddenly Apah is brought in by two policemen in handcuffs under arrest.
Photo Credit: Brett Boardman
VISUAL STORY ACT 2
Back in 2004, Siddhartha is in his mother’s house waiting for his father to call. Thirru lets him know that he is now safe in Indonesia. He is going to take a boat to Australia to become a refugee. Siddhartha warns him about the dangers of the boat and wants to meet him in Indonesia instead. Radha does not want him to go but she agrees to let Thirru come. Thirru gets on a crowded boat to make his journey. He calls upon the Australian Government to accept him as a refugee.
INTERVAL 2 There will now be a 20 minute interval. You can leave your seats to use the bathroom, get some refreshments or use our breakout room. You can also stay in your seats if you would prefer.
Siddhartha and Lily are talking, he tells her about his mother’s life story and how he ended up living in Australia. He tells her that he is in love with her and asks her to move in with him and his mother.
VISUAL STORY
Photo Credit: Brett Boardman
ACT 3
ACT 3
VISUAL STORY
Photo Credit: Brett Boardman
It's 1983 in Sri Lanka. Apah gets a call warning him of some danger to come. Young Radha, who is now married to Thirru and pregnant at this time, comes and helps him to make calls to find out more. She tells him of the multiple arrests being made because of the increased trouble in Sri Lanka. We find out that Thirru’s sister in now a ‘Tiger’, this is why Apah disapproved of Radha's marriage to Thirru. During their conversation, Apah receives many calls of store lootings and trouble against Tamils, but the police are not doing anything to help the victims.
ACT 3
VISUAL STORY
Photo Credit: Brett Boardman
Dhamayanthi discourages this. Apah dies suddenly and a large group of people come to the home to take away his body. Many people try to enter the home and they have to lock the doors.
Radha gets a call from Dhamayanthi in Australia who tells her it’s no longer safe for her to stay in Sri Lanka, and instead should come to Australia. Radha tells her mother that Thirru has gone missing and she wants to look for him.
Finally older Radha reflects on her life as she, Siddharta and Lily make their way to the Villawood Immigration Detention Centre to meet Thirru.
VISUAL STORY
ACT 3
Photo Credit: Brett Boardman
Hasa has brought the visa for Radha to bring her to Australia but she hesitates to take it. Sunil enters and offers Radha money to buy Apah’s house. She sells it to him.
THANK YOU! We hope you enjoy the show and have a great time at this Relaxed Performance. Please send any feedback to access@birmingham-rep.co.uk. You can find out about our upcoming Relaxed Performances here.