Counting and Cracking
UMAC acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners of the unceded land on which we work. We pay respect to their Elders past and present, and their enduring traditions of knowledge sharing, performing and storytelling on this land.
Actors name
Chars name
Counting and Cracking
எண் ணிக்கக, இல்கலயயல் ககயயாங்கு
ගණන් න ොගන්නන් ම් ගණන් කරන්
A Belvoir St Theatre and Kurinji Co-Production
Presented by University of Melbourne Arts and Culture and RISING
Union Theatre , Arts and Cultural Building
When
Where
Union Theatre
Arts and Cultural Building
The University of Melbourne
159 Monash Road, Parkville VIC 3010
Get Directions
A vibrant, three-act epic follows four generations over five decades, from Colombo to Australia, and tests the strength of family love. By S.Shakthidharan with Eamon Flack.
It begins with Radha and her son Siddartha on the banks of Sydney’s Georges River, scattering Radha’s mother’s ashes—their final, physical link to Sri Lanka’s turbulent history. Then an unexpected call from Colombo brings the past rushing back.
Counting and Cracking is a true family saga that follows four generations from 1956 to 2004—through family secrets, love and upheaval.
Nineteen performers from six countries play 50 different characters. Incense swirls. Bare feet criss-cross the sandy stage. Wisecracking Tamil and Sinhalese intertwines with English, in communal acts of translation.
Apah, Rhada’s grandfather, wants equality but is taught early on that democracy is “the counting of heads, within certain limits, and the cracking of heads beyond those limits.” By the end we’ve learned the deep truths behind that Colombo mystery, on the other end of the line.
Tickets
Tickets from
$69-130
Running Time
Approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes, including two intervals
Accessibility
-
Assisted Listening
-
Wheelchair Accessible
-
Audio Description (Select Performances)
-
Captioning (Select Performances)
Supporters
A Belvoir St Theatre Production
Co-produced with Kurinji
Originally Co-Produced with Co-Curious
Co-commissioned by Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals Inc, Sydney Festival, Adelaide Festival and Belvoir St Theatre.
RISING and the University of Melbourne would like to acknowledge Sri Lankan Airlines, The Bowness Family Foundation, Linda Herd and Fiona Menzies for their generous support.
Belvoir Theatre thanks Playking Foundation and Penelope Seidler for their support of Counting and Cracking’s Melbourne season, and to the visionary individuals who have made a landmark contribution to Australian theatre.
Cast & Creatives
S. Shakthidharan
Writer and Associate Director
Eamon Flack
Director and Associate Writer
Anandavalli
Costume and Cultural Advisor, Choreographer
Dale Ferguson
Set and Costume Designer
Damien Cooper
Lighting Designer
Stefan Gregory
Sound Designer and Composer
Sheryl Talmage, Emily Oades
Stage Manager
Rodney Afif, Prakash Belawadi, Antonythasan Jesuthasan, Nadie Kammallaweera, Ahilan Karunaharan, Abbie-Lee Lewis, Gandhi McIntyre, Radhika Mudaliyar, Shiv Palekar, Dushan Philips, Sukhbir Singh Walia (Sunny), Kaivalya Suvarna, Nipuni Sharada, Rajan Velu, Sukania Venugopal, Senuri Chandrani
Cast
Kranthi Kiran Mudigonda, Janakan Suthanthiraraj, Venkhatesh Sritharan
Musicians
A vibrant, three-act epic follows four generations over five decades, from Colombo to Australia, and tests the strength of family love. By S.Shakthidharan with Eamon Flack.
It begins with Radha and her son Siddartha on the banks of Sydney’s Georges River, scattering Radha’s mother’s ashes—their final, physical link to Sri Lanka’s turbulent history. Then an unexpected call from Colombo brings the past rushing back.
Counting and Cracking is a true family saga that follows four generations from 1956 to 2004—through family secrets, love and upheaval.
Nineteen performers from six countries play 50 different characters. Incense swirls. Bare feet criss-cross the sandy stage. Wisecracking Tamil and Sinhalese intertwines with English, in communal acts of translation.
Apah, Rhada’s grandfather, wants equality but is taught early on that democracy is “the counting of heads, within certain limits, and the cracking of heads beyond those limits.” By the end we’ve learned the deep truths behind that Colombo mystery, on the other end of the line.
Cast & Creatives
S. Shakthidharan
Writer and Associate Director
Eamon Flack
Director and Associate Writer
Anandavalli
Costume and Cultural Advisor, Choreographer
Dale Ferguson
Set and Costume Designer
Damien Cooper
Lighting Designer
Stefan Gregory
Sound Designer and Composer
Sheryl Talmage, Emily Oades
Stage Manager
Rodney Afif, Prakash Belawadi, Antonythasan Jesuthasan, Nadie Kammallaweera, Ahilan Karunaharan, Abbie-Lee Lewis, Gandhi McIntyre, Radhika Mudaliyar, Shiv Palekar, Dushan Philips, Sukhbir Singh Walia (Sunny), Kaivalya Suvarna, Nipuni Sharada, Rajan Velu, Sukania Venugopal, Senuri Chandrani
Cast
Kranthi Kiran Mudigonda, Janakan Suthanthiraraj, Venkhatesh Sritharan
Musicians