The Tamilization of Ahilan Ratnamohan

Raised in Western Sydney, Ahilan attempts the performance entirely in Tamil, a language he didn’t learn as a child. His mother, sits next to him on stage, becomes his teacher, encouraging and prompting him. Ahilan traces the roots of this language loss to its rediscovery.

The season will be followed by a world tour at experimental performance festivals in Canada and across Europe.

Surtitled in English.

Performance Dates & Times

Thursday 16 January, 6:45pm (opening & community night)

Friday 17 January, 6:45pm

Saturday 18 January, 2:00pm (relaxed performance) and 6:45pm

Sunday 19 January, 2:00pm (Auslan interpreted)

A post-performance panel, Multilingual storytelling: resistance and reclamation (Auslan interpreted) will take place on Sunday 19 January at 3:00pm, featuring Ahilan Ratnamohan, Peta Strachan of Jannawi Dance Clan and more speakers to be announced.

Duration: 1 hour, no interval

Book your tickets here.

Public Programs

Saturday 18 January, 11:00am – Jannawi Dance Clan Workshop

Jannawi Dance Clan presents a cultural dance class at Utp. Held during the performance season of The Tamilization of Ahilan Ratnamohan the class will teach language, songs and dances from local Sydney custodians.

FREE and no prior dance experience is necessary.

Book your place here

Sunday 19 January 3:00pm – Multilingual storytelling: resistance and reclamation panel

Featuring: Ahilan Ratnamohan, Peta Strachan of Jannawi Dance Clan and Nithya Nagarajan (moderator)

Book into the performance on Sunday 19 January and you will automatically have a place to attend the panel.

Thursday 16 January - Saturday 18 January – Lost in Books multilingual bookshop pop-up

Artist Biography:

Australian performance artist Ahilan Ratnamohan is a polyglot who has the gift of picking up languages quickly. In addition, his past as a professional football player influences the movement practice he uses in his dancing presets. Since 2012 he lives in Antwerp and works throughout Europe, Sri Lanka and Australia. His work has been presented at Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Kaaitheater, Internationales SommerFestival, Kampnagel, Homo Novus, LIFT, Julidans, Monty Kultuurfaktorij and Colomboscope, among others.

Credits:

By and with: Ahilan Ratnamohan and Mala Ratnamohan

Dramaturgy: Sodja Lotker, Petar Sarjanović

Translation: Nagaratnam Ratnamohan, Mala Ratnamohan, Mahy Nambiar

Co-commissioned and presented: Utp

Co-commissioned and future presentation: Kaaitheater (BE), RAMPE (DE), Brakkegrond (NL)

Distribution: Good Company

Outside Eye: Jiva Parthipan, Fred Rodrigues, Utp team

Lighting Design: Kate Baldwin

Cover image: Ratnamohan family archive

PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS

This project is supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW.

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body, its principal arts investment and advisory body.

This project is supported by Sydney Festival.