Many Vancouverites are aware of Bollywood, but Kollywood often goes under the radar unless you’re from South India or Sri Lanka. The term Kollywood is shorthand for the Tamil-language film industry, which is based the metropolis of Chennai.
However, at this year’s rEvolver Festival, theatre lovers can savour a taste of Kollywood in 1 Santosh Santosh 2 Go. Upintheair Theatre will present two performances—at 7:30 p.m. on May 30 and 31 at Vancity Culture Lab.
Creator and producer Srutika Sabu plays Tosh, a software engineer and owner of a second-hand Tesla. In this comedic show, he thinks all is well until his immigrant parents let him know otherwise.
“Guided by the voice in his head, Santosh learns to find his groove through wild Kollywood dance-offs, anime boss battles, and spicy hot sauce torture that defies reason,” the rEvolver Festival website states.
Ken Hall (Umbrella Academy) directs 1 Santosh Santosh 2 Go. He also has a co-devisor credit along with the second performer, Mahdi Mozafari. The great Toronto theatre critic Glenn Sumi described Sabu as “a fine physical performer”. Toronto playwright, director, and dramaturge Nina Kaye declared that the show “has a lot of warm-hearted laughs and a few touchingly tearful moments too”.
Described as a “clown and drag king fever dream”, 1 Santosh Santosh 2 Go is one of a dozen shows on the rEvolver Festival mainstage from May 21 to June 1. Upintheair Theatre presents the annual festival, which takes place at The Cultch. This year, there are special presentations at two off-site locations: Morrow and What Lab.
From Kollywood to a reimagined apocalypse
The first special presentation at Morrow (910 Richards Street, Suite 204) is Apocalypse Reimagined, which is billed as “a poem, spell, and embodiment of grief and love and hope”. Alyssa Amarshi, Anjalica Solomon, Chantal Gering, and Alyssa ‘Lyzah’ Favero all perform in a show that asked how new worlds of resilience can be born and joy renewed in times of absolute devastation. Amarshi is the choreographer and creative director, with Gering and Favero receiving choreographer and co-creative director credits. Solomon is co-creative director and writer.
This show includes an opening artist, singer and songwriter Ft. Thelonious Lee Dexter. Apocalypse Reimagined will be offered at 8 p.m. on May 22, 8:30 p.m. on May 23, and at 1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. on May 24.
Another special presentations is Sarah Roa’s The Never Ending Run: A Conversation on Parenting in the Arts. Roa engage in conversation with two Vancouver theatre artists, Pedro Chamale and Leslie Dos Remedios, on balancing family life with an artistic practice.
“This is a welcoming space to ask questions, connect with others, and build upon your community,” the website states. “Whether you’re navigating the challenges of raising children while pursuing a creative career or simply seeking advice, come join us and find inspiration and connection.”
It starts at 4:45 p.m. on May 31 at What Lab (1814 Pandora Street). The Never Ending Run will conclude with a mini family-friendly dance party.
For more information on the rEvolver Festival, visit the website. Follow Pancouver on Instagram @PancouverMedia and on Bluesky @pancouver.bsky.social. Also follow Charlie Smith on Bluesky @charliesmithvcr.bsky.social.
