Vyshanvee Wijekumar

Is God Is opens with a person whose head is encased in a burning house, foreshadowing the homicidal acts that destroy the very fabric of familial ideals. Twin sisters Racine and Anaia have been estranged from their mother for 18 years, however a letter sent from her death bed reconnects them. All three bear the scars of their father’s attempt to burn their mother alive, and on their mother’s directive, they decide to reap violent vengeance upon him. American playwright Aleshea Harris' breakout hit comes to Australia thanks to this co-production from Sydney Theatre Company and Melbourne Theatre Company. The play features an all-black cast, with co-directors Zindzi Okenyo and Shari Sebbens continuing their acclaimed streak of steering stories that strike a communal resonance, including their recent hit co-directorial debut, Seven Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner. Henrietta Enyonam Amevor (STC's Hubris & Humiliation) stars as the timid Anaia, with Masego Pitso killing it as the assertive Racine. Cessalee Stovall plays their mother, referred to as the eponymous 'God', with an authority that resounds throughout the play as the driving intention behind the twins’ mission.  Is God Is is a captivating tale of retribution with exceptional performances that draw you in through a sinister premise. The journey traverses the Deep South to the Californian desert to Connecticut, taking its stylistic inspiration from spaghetti westerns, hip-hop and afropunk. It strings together ideas of ques

Set in Melbourne in 1995, Iranian-Australian filmmaker Noora Niasari brings a deeply personal perspective to the story of Shayda and Mona, a mother and daughter living at a women’s shelter for vulnerable, abused women. In the lead-up to Nowruz (Persian New Year), Shayda tries to bring culture, community and connection to their lives amongst the pervading isolation and distrust. Once Shayda’s abusive ex-husband Hossein is granted unsupervised visitation with their daughter, the film starts to hit its stride as the palpable tension and paranoia consume Shayda and Mona’s day-to-day lives. The performances across the cast are convincing and compelling. From the opening scene, 2022 Cannes best actress winner Zar Amir Ebrahimi and breakout star Selina Zahednia captivate the big screen with their endearing relationship as Shayda and six-year-old Mona. Zahednia absolutely shines as a daughter delicately grappling with her love for her mother and clear awareness of her father’s simmering temper. Ebrahimi owns every scene with her quiet forthrightness and desire for uninhibited freedom. Local screen industry titan Leah Purcell plays Joyce, who manages the crisis accommodation and acts as a warm maternal anchor to Shayda and Mona’s uncertain existence. Purcell brings a calm sense of security to the narrative, building on her strengths in telling stories about resilient women, such as Molly Johnson in The Drover’s Wife and Twig in the new Amazon Prime TV series The Lost Flowers of Alice

This production contains smoke/haze effects, coarse language, mature themes, sexual references, references to domestic and sexual violence and depictions of graphic violence, suicide and drug use.  Is God Is opens with a person whose head is encased in a burning house, the play foreshadows the homicidal acts that destroy the very fabric of familial ideals. Twin sisters Racine and Anaia have been estranged from their mother for several years and reconnect through a letter she sends from her death bed. All three bear the scars of their father’s attempt to burn their mother alive and on their mother’s directive, decide to reap violent vengeance upon him. The play features an all-black cast, with co-directors Zindzi Okenyo and Shari Sebbens continuing their acclaimed streak of steering stories that strike a communal resonance, including their recent hit stage debut, Seven Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner. Henrietta Enyonam Amevor (previously in Sydney Theatre Company’s Hubris & Humiliation) stars as the timid Anaia and Masego Pitso kills her MTC debut as the assertive Racine. Cessalee Stovall plays their mother, referred to as the eponymous 'God', with an authority that resounds throughout the play as the driving intention behind the twins’ mission.  The journey traverses the Deep South to the Californian desert to Connecticut, taking its stylistic inspiration from spaghetti westerns, hip-hop and Afropunk. It strings together ideas of questionable morality, heroes, and villains wi