Counting
and Cracking
a story about reconciliation
On the banks of a suburban Sydney river, Radha and her son Siddhartha release the ashes of Radha’s mother–their final connection to the past, to Sri Lanka and its struggles. Now they are free to embrace their lives in Australia. Then a phone call from Colombo brings the past spinning back to life, and we are plunged into an epic story of love and political strife, of home and exile, of parents and children.
House of Oz in association with Soho Theatre presents
COUNTING AND CRACKING
எண்ணிக்கை, இல்லையேல் கையோங்கு
ගණන් නොගන්නේ නම් ගණන් කරන්න
Presenting a Belvoir St Theatre and Kurinji Co-Production
By S.Shakthidharan with Eamon Flack
Presented as part of LIFT
Co-commissioned by Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals Inc, Sydney Festival, Adelaide Festival and Belvoir St Theatre. Originally Co-produced with Co-Curious and developed with the support of Curious Works and the philanthropic support of the Gamechangers.
From the writer, S. Shakthidrharan
“In Counting and Cracking I hope to provide audiences with a new story to believe in: about Australia, about Sri Lanka. It’s a story in which migrants are not asked to discard parts of themselves to fit in, but instead are asked to present their full selves, to expand our idea of what this country can be. It’s a story of how the politics of division can win the battle, but never the war, around how power is gained in this world. It’s a story in which love may not triumph over adversity, but through sheer persistence and resilience can eventually overcome it. And finally it's a story about reconciliation: between parents and children, between neighbours and enemies, between your new home and your old home, between society and its institutions.”
Learning zone
Download the learning resource to go with this production.