When memory is both a gift and a curse.

a mixtape for maladies

By Ahi Karunaharan

— NOW ON SALE

About.

Company

Auckland Theatre Company

Venue

ASB Waterfront Theatre

Duration

1 hour and 50 minutes, no interval

Advisory

Includes themes of war and trauma

Rescheduled to 2025. Check back in October for new dates.

 

Seventeen tracks on an old mixtape reveal bittersweet memories of a family’s resilience behind every song.

“Good music will always stand like a monument on the shore weathered by the winds of time.”

In a small coastal village in Sri Lanka, Sangeetha’s life is filled with music. Songs are the glue that binds her family together. And she has a crush on the guy at the general store who plays all the latest hits.

But, as the country slips into civil war, they find themselves caught on the wrong side of history. “I had only ever heard the sounds of gunshots in movies,” she remembers. “This one was different.”

Both a love letter to his homeland and a lament, this powerful new work by Ahi Karunaharan (My Heart Goes Thadak Thadak, The Mourning After) sweeps from 1950s Sri Lanka to modern-day Aotearoa, where Sangeetha is now living with a son of her own, Deepan.

The only remnant of the past is an old mixtape filled with memories. As Deepan plays the 17 songs one by one – Dusty Springfield, La Bamba, the hit single from a Tamil rom-com – the story of what happened to their family unfolds through the music to reach its unforgettable conclusion.

A collaboration between Auckland Theatre Company and Agaram Productions. Developed with the support of Auckland Arts Festival.

Cast

Ambika G.K.R.

Book
Tickets.

REVIEWS

“The play places huge significance on music and memory, and it is amazing to see.”
– Theatre Scenes

WAYS TO SAVE

Pay What You Wish

If you've never been to the theatre before, or you keep making excuses not try, then join us on Pay What You Wish night. Everyone is welcome and yes, you can literally pay what you wish. Tickets on sale 3 weeks before the performance on Tue 26 Nov.

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30 Under 30

If you are 30 years or under, and love theatre, you can get $30 tickets to any show by Auckland Theatre Company.

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Preview Performances

Save 20% on an Adult ticket for Auckland Theatre Company shows when you book see the first performances of a season before opening night.

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SUNDAY FORUM

Stay after the performance to hear from a special guest speaker who delves more deeply into the world and themes of the play. Enrich your theatre-going experience with a thought-provoking discussion and gain insight into the wider context of the work. Come intrigued; leave inspired.

Sun 24 Nov approx. 5:50pm
ASB Waterfront Theatre
Free
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ACCESSIBILITY

NZSL-Interpreted

by Platform Interpreting NZ
Sat 7 Dec 8:00pm
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Audio-Described & Touch Tour

by Audio Described Aotearoa
Sun 1 Dec 4:00pm
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