The hour-long, one-woman performance features freelance public relations consultant and media professional Sumitra Selvaraj, who is the founder of the Instagram account “Sarees and Stories”.

“It all started when Abhi Arumbakkam, a creative producer from the United Kingdom, got in touch with me through Instagram to suggest we collaborate and apply for the British Council’s ‘Connections Through Culture’ arts grant programme,” says Sumitra, 45.

“I immediately roped in Dhinesha Karthigesu, who is an amazing storyteller, and we were awarded the grant in October.”

Dhinesha, who directs the play, says the show is structured in a way that allows moments for the audience to interact with Sumitra.

“Think of it as a show that combines standup comedy with monologues,” the 31-year-old tells FMT.

The three of them met weekly on Zoom over four to five months to work on the project.

“We didn’t just come together to write; we also shared intimate, profound and moving snippets of our lives. Every week was a chance for us to ‘spill’ – that itself was magic,” Sumitra says.

Although there were hiccups along the way – travel plans that fell through, illness and bereavement – they never fell out of rhythm.

“It was a special space for us; no matter what happened in our lives, we could always talk about it during the next meeting,” says Dhinesha, adding they hope to create a safe space for the audience as well.

Catharsis

While the details of the play remain vague, viewers – especially those who are holding on to something they’ve never shared before – are encouraged to watch it.

And hopefully, they might experience a form of “catharsis”, as the creative team did during the brainstorming period.

“Everyone has secrets; we just pretend that we don’t,” Dhinesha says. “But once we share them with others, we realise we’re not alone.”

According to Sumitra, secrets – especially those about childhood trauma, abuse or shame – are usually caused by another person.

“We carry the perpetrator’s secret as well, yet the ‘weight’ of these secrets seems lopsided,” she says.

“We repress them because we’re not able to let go. Someone else did something to us to cause this feeling. What is this power this person holds over us?

“These are some of the things ‘Sarees and Secrets’ unpacks.”

Sumitra believes there are universal themes that will cater to audiences globally, even though her “Sarees and Stories” followers will probably get the most out of it.

And although the play centres on her, it’s not necessarily an Indian-centric story.

“It’s very Malaysian at the same time,” says Dhinesha, who adds that it’s rare to see Indian women in theatre – let alone one who writes and performs – and he still struggles to find scripts featuring Indian characters.

He further reveals he’s excited about his mother watching the show.

“She sees a lot of my work, which is usually centred around queer theatre, but this time around I get to create space for my mum – something she can relate to.”

As for Sumitra, she hopes “Sarees and Secrets” will inspire viewers to try something new and venture outside of their comfort zones.

“I’m not an arts practitioner, and it’s terrifying to do something like this, but as Abhi and Dhinesha have repeatedly told me over the last few months: what’s the worst that could happen?

“We often end up limiting ourselves, when there are infinite possibilities.”

‘Sarees and Secrets’ will take place via Zoom on Saturday, Feb 26 at 8pm, and is free of charge. Book your spot now by clicking here.