Current project
"Masking" - in progress - University of East London
Masking (working title) is a piece of theatre exploring the affect of performance. It is a performance about neurodiversity and diagnosis, exploring the stigma associated with autism diagnosis, particularly amongst parents and diverse communities. The script will be created from the written, electronic and auditory materials produced in a series of creative workshops with health professionals and later, with parents. Verbatim audio quotes, electronic and written material will be used to create the dialogue, combining with cultural elements and symbols, in a piece of testimonial theatre.
Workshops will begin in September 2024 when health professionals will watch a piece of performative practive (monologue/spoken word) and be asked to input, electronically, in real-time, the emotions/feelings and words that come to them as they watch each scene. This will be followed by a recorded, facilitated discussion about the themes of the piece - including the role of power, personal experiences and perspectives in the clinic room.
Past Productions
Colloborating with artists in the Ismaili Community, below is a selection of the productions I have written and directed.
Courage for the Journey
The Ismaili TV
Writer and Co-Director
A 25 minutes short film and modern retelling of the epic 12th-century Sufi poem by Attar - Conference of the Birds. The poem is seen through the lens of different people around the world, who seek to understand its relevance to the challenges of our modern age. Featuring animation and devotional music.
Hope and Light
The Ismaili TV
Writer and Co-Director
A virtual production. A mismatched group of global Ismaili volunteers endeavour to 'celebrate' in the midst of the complex emotions of the global pandemic. Featuring devotional music and literature.
Life Stories Inc.
Ismaili Centre, London
Writer, Director & Co-producer
A hilarious and heart warming piece of musical theatre. This is the fictional tale of a writer who seeks his fortune at "Life Stories Inc" – a company that claims to ‘write’ the scripts for people’s lives. It is here that our protagonist meets a diverse and colourful cast. They teach him to see the significance of suffering within the human narrative, to express empathy and to offer hope.
The Harmony Project
Ismaili Centre, London
Writer, Director and Co-Producer
When a student of Western philosophy, a professor of Persian poetry and a rather quiet Indian dancer are recruited to create a show for the annual “New Day” celebrations, their differences appear insurmountable. This is interspersed with the comical escapades of a rather hapless project manager and his long-suffering assistant. After some meaningful introspection and with a little guidance, the characters begin to work together and see their diversity as a possible advantage - even a source of harmony.
Featuring music, poetry and dance for around the world.
Mama's Masala
The Arts Depot, Finchley, London
Writer, Director and Co-Producer
Mama's Masala is musical theatre. A modern bollywood retelling of a Mary Poppins like story - with plenty of comedy, dance, drama and excessive sprinklings of masala.
Exploring the complexities of teenagehood, parenthood and challenging family dynamics.
Coffee with the Chaiwalas
Ismaili community spaces
Co-writer and director
Meet the Chaiwalas - a family not unlike your own.
A filmed mini-sit com series, used as a platform to discuss sensitive and challenging topics such as disability, familial conflict and mental health.
Shermina Kumari
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