Ruby Slippers Theatre, in association with Presentation House Theatre and the Blackout Arts Society, present the world premiere production of Dil Ka by Lee Nisar.
Dil Ka [‘of the heart’] follows Zahra, a 26 year old Pakistani woman, as she prepares to meet her latest arranged match for marriage. Zahra spends the majority of the play in her family’s kitchen preparing the traditional Pakistani dish, biryani, to present to the prospective groom’s family.
Dil Ka investigates the concept of the kitchen as both refuge and place of constriction for many South Asian women, and dissects the way in which we inherit familial habits and – most importantly – recipes. Toying with direct address as a confessional to explore the intersecting identity of a queer Muslim woman and the growing tension between her familial duties and her own desires for life. As the story unfolds the biryani becomes a metaphor for the ingredients that make a “perfect bride”.
Content Notice:
The play includes: offensive language and discussions of homophobia, racism, Islamophobia.
CREATIVE TEAM
Written by Lee Nisar
Directed by Tricia Trinh
Technical Direction by Jessica Han
Set design by Kimira Reddy
Lighting design by John Webber
Sound design by Mishelle Cutler
Video design by Chimerik
Costume design by Rachel Macadam
CAST
Nimet Kanji
Parm Soor
Rami Kahlon
Janavi Chawla
Talia Vandenbrink
Tanaz Roudgar