The sweeping, episodic play features nineteen performers from across the globe on a multi-generational journey of a Sri Lankan-Australian family from 1956-2004. Over the course of its run, Counting and Cracking mirrors themes from the playwright S. Shakthidharan’s own life.
The creation of this play is an exercise in healing generational trauma, not just for Shakthidharan’s family, but for Shakthi’s mother, the cast, and those in the audience who have experienced a similar story of remembering and forgetting one’s history. The use of Tamil and Singhalese, as well as Bharathanatyam choreographed by Shakthi’s mother aid in this mission of remembrance.
RELATED EVENTS
RELATED EVENTS
GET INTO IT
GET INTO IT
Trailer(s) for the show, and interviews with the artists.
GET THEE TO THE LIBRARY
GET THEE TO THE LIBRARY
Recommended readings to get you in gear for the show… or to get your research into a higher gear post-show, when you can’t stop thinking about it.
- Judith Betts & Claire Huggins, The Sri Lankan Civil War and Australia’s Migration Policy Response: A Historical Case Study with Contemporary Implications (2017)
- Abhijit Dasgupta, Repatriation of Sri Lankan Refugees: Unfinished Tasks (2003)
- Tasha Manoranjan, Beaten but not Broken: Tamil Women in Sri Lanka (2010)
- People for Equality and Relief in Lanka: Black July: A Tamil Genocide (2023)
- Manohari Velamati, Sri Lankan Tamil Migration and Settlement: Time for Reconsideration (2009)
READ ALL ABOUT IT
READ ALL ABOUT IT
Counting and Cracking at NYU Skirball is a North American premiere. The world premiere was in Sydney, Australia in 2019.
Review: Counting and Cracking
“A truly memorable theatre event that is full of verve and rich in meaning.”
We Don’t Want To Be Divided
An in-depth interview with Shakthidharan and playwright Chenturan Aran on their shared ancestry, justice, writing, and the strength of South Asian women.
how a three-hour Sri Lankan war epic became one of the great Australian plays
“It seems to vibrate with the spirit of Sri Lanka itself. It also expands our concept of Australian theatre, pushing out the boundaries of our national identity.”
How writing the epic play Counting and Cracking helped Tamil playwright S. Shakthidharan’s mum face her trauma
“The story of the mother and son, and of the grandfather, are very close to stories in my own family.“
History Lessons and Current Events
History Lessons and Current Events
Learn more about the social, cultural and political contexts that shape Counting and Cracking.
What are Black July massacres that triggered Sri Lanka’s 26-year civil war?
Forty years ago, mobs in Sri Lanka burned 13 people alive, part of a weeklong pogrom that caused simmering ethnic unrest to soon escalate into an all-out civil war.
40 Years Since Black July, No Change, No Justice in Sri Lanka
To date, no government official, politician, or civilian has been held accountable for the crimes that occurred during Black July, despite there being clear evidence and eyewitness accounts.
