sustained theatre

By Kamini Gupta

Theatre designer Kamini Gupta tells us the stories behind the sets

Kahini by Maya Chowdhary, Directed by Kully Thiarai, touring set for Red Ladder Theatre Co.

Set in India and England, Kahini tells the story of a girl who is brought up to believe she is a boy. Everything starts to unravel when she reaches puberty, her body starts to change and she falls in love with her best friend.

Three portable ‘Toblerone’ shaped metal structures against a soft backdrop created the urban environment for this touring show. The structures, integral to the physical and poetic style of the piece, defined the space creating cityscapes: the railway line, the school gate, the football ground, a street. As well as inner spaces: a living room, a wardrobe, a shrine.

Themes of identity, entrapment, family triangles and secrets, echoed in the materials and shapes used.

About the author