Tara Theatre reveals Natasha Kathi-Chandra’s inaugural season

Since 1977, Tara Theatre has championed South Asian artists, and new artistic director Natasha Kathi-Chandra continues to do so in her first season.

Newly announced, the upcoming programming is said by the organisation to “Weave together the many threads that form South Asian identities, highlighting the multiplicity of stories full of joy, contradictions and complexities. The work is political and humorous, focussing on themes of climate crisis, immigration, forbidden love, illness and the conflict between freedom and duty.”

Starting the season will be Nicole Latchana’s a practical guide on how to save the world when no one f***ing else is. Presented by the Tara Theatre Young Company and directed by Tara Theatre’s associate director Gavin Joseph, it explores Western apathy to the climate crisis as young activists seek reparations for those affected in the Global South. It will run at Tara Theatre from 15 to 19 April.

Next is Hunia Chawla’s Permission, playing from 30 May to 7 June. Directed by Neetu Sigh, the piece asks audiences to consider what liberation looks like between two Pakistani friends, the respectable Hanna and activist Minza as they explore the trope of ‘the oppressed Muslim woman’.

I Dream of Theresa May, exploring what it means to be a model British citizen, is written by Vivek Nityananda and directed by Kathi-Chandra. The play, which was commissioned following development on Tara Theatre’s 2024 NOVA scheme for launching playwrights, follows Nikhil, a gay Indian man, who accepts mentorship from the UK’s previous Prime Minister Theresa May to secure his right to remain. It runs from 17 to 29 November at Tara Theatre.

Rounding off the season is Sweetmeats by Karim Khan. Presented in co-production with the Bush Theatre, the piece explores the unlikely and forbidden love sparked between two South Asian elders Liaquat and Hema, who meet at a type two diabetes workshop. Full details about the run in 2026 are still to be announced.

Kathi-Chandra commented: “With my inaugural season at Tara Theatre, I want to highlight that there isn’t just one way to ‘be’ South Asian. So, often our identities are homogenised, but with these shows, I want audiences to see the sometimes contradictory, often joyful and nearly always complex ways in which our stories are forged. From Wandsworth to Karachi, from the heart of a protest to making chapatis at home, Tara Theatre is all about championing new voices and nurturing South Asian and Global Majority talent. We’re so excited to be working with young creatives and established writers to bring audiences theatre that will spark debate, laughter and connection.”

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