A profoundly moving story of love and political strife, of home and exile, of parents and children. Counting and Cracking follows the journey of one Sri Lankan-Australian family over four generations, from 1956 to 2004. It features nineteen performers hailing from six different countries: Australia, Sri Lanka, India, Malaysia, New Zealand and France.

On the banks of a suburban Sydney river, Radha and her son Siddhartha release the ashes of Radha’s mother – their final connection to the past, to Sri Lanka and its struggles. Now they are free to embrace their lives in Australia. But a phone call from Colombo brings the past spinning back to life, and we’re plunged into an epic story of breakup and reunion.

Written by S. Shakthidharan, a Sri Lankan-Australian who researched and developed the work over the course of ten years, the play tells the tale of two countries: Sri Lanka post-independence and Australia as an immigrant nation. It is directed by Eamon Flack, an award-winning director and the Artistic Director of Belvoir, one of Australia’s most celebrated theatre companies.

Performed in English, Tamil and Sinhalese, with live translation into English.

Originally co-produced by Belvoir with Co-curious.

Part of the UK/Australia Season 2021-22, a joint initiative of the British Council and Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, supported by the UK/Australia Season Patrons, the Australian Government through the International Cultural Diplomacy Arts Fund, the NSW Government and the British Council.

Originally co-produced with Co-curious

Supported through the PLACE programme