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[title]Belvoir St Theatre has announced the final show in its spectacular 2022 season – and they may have saved one of the best until last.
The Jungle and the Sea is a companion piece to Belvoir’s groundbreaking international success Counting and Cracking, unveiling the untold stories of the Sri Lankan Civil War in a moving new play about surviving loss, discovering love and building a path to justice.
Counting and Cracking caused a sensation when it opened at Sydney Town Hall as part of Sydney Festival 2019. “It’s only January, but we have an early contender for the best play of the year… It’s staggering that this is Shakthidharan’s debut play,” Time Out’s reviewer wrote. The show won an extraordinary seven Helpmann Awards as well as the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award, Australia’s richest literary prize.
So it’s exciting that The Jungle and the Sea is another collaboration between co-writers and co-directors Shakthidharan and Eamon Flack. The play showcases a mother in the time of war, what happens when her family goes missing, and how love and hope can flourish even at times of darkness.
The Jungle and the Sea features many more of the Counting and Cracking team. The stellar cast of South Asian actors, performers and musicians from Sydney, Sri Lanka, India and New Zealand includes Anandavalli, Prakash Belawadi, Emma Harvie, Nadie Kammallaweera, Jacob Rajan, Kalieaswari Srinivasan, Rajan Velu and Biman Wimalaratne.
“Counting and Cracking was written in honour of those who tried to halt Sri Lanka’s descent into civil war,” S Shakthidharan says. “The Jungle and the Sea is written in honour of those who survived the war, and the ways they found to uphold their dignity even when everything else was falling down around them.”
As an extra drawcard Belvoir has partnered with Colombo Social – the Sri Lankan restaurant in Enmore famous for its social enterprises. (The restaurant operates ‘Plate it Forward’, a program of social change through food and beverage experiences, and a culinary training program for people from disadvantaged backgrounds.) Colombo Social will activate the theatre foyer to showcase different elements of Sri Lanka, with beautiful saris and delicious food such as Chicken Curry Pies and Christmas cake handmade by the owner Shaun Christie-David’s mum. A special cocktail, called Galle Road Gimlet, will also be available (also in a non-alcoholic version).
The Jungle and the Sea will run from November 12 to December 18 at Belvoir St Theatre, with tickets on sale now, starting at $35 for students. Tickets are certain to sell fast, so look lively.