Senior lecturer Rishi Trikha worked on ‘Everything I See I Swallow’ and ‘The Chosen Haram’, which the Stage newspaper named among the best shows of 2019.
Date: 16 April 2020
Two pieces developed by Rishi Trikha and his colleagues have been recognised among the top fifty shows of the last year by the Stage newspaper, and the top 5 physical theatre/circus shows. Rishi is course leader and senior lecturer in Theatre and Performance Practice at London Met.
The first play, Everything I See I Swallow examines the intergenerational tensions about what feminism means and the position of the body in female empowerment. It won the Fringe First and Best Circus/Physical Theatre awards, and has toured nationally. A four-star review by the List describes the chemistry between the two lead actors as “transfixing and intimate as they work to iterate their perspectives on femininity. The show excels in examining its topic without a moment of caricature or ill-jest.”
The second, The Chosen Haram, explores the possible challenges in reconciling gay identity with Islamic faith.
Rishi said: “What I enjoyed most about working on both pieces is that they explore complex subjects that aren't normally associated with physical performance; they are not only challenging our ideas about the topics they address but also what it's possible to evoke through the body on stage. It feels like a great privilege to work with such groundbreaking artists, and it's always gratifying to know that audiences have connected with what you've made together.
“All of my colleagues and I who teach on the Theatre Arts courses at London Met are active industry professionals. Working on projects like these allows us to bring knowledge of the most current artistic practices to our students, and to use our professional connections to enhance their learning through guest visits and performances. When possible, we also try to involve our graduates in our projects; I taught three of the artists involved in these two shows at another institution I worked at before joining London Met. That makes me especially proud of the excellent work they're doing as professionals now.”
Rishi has worked internationally as a director, writer, actor and dramaturg. As a theatre practitioner, Rishi has worked at the Royal National Theatre, Royal Court, Roundhouse, Riverside Studios, Hackney Empire, Jackson’s Lane, Southwark Playhouse, Almeida, Hampstead Theatre, as well as other venues and festivals across the UK. Internationally, he has presented work as part of the BAM Next Wave festival in New York, the Auch Festival of Contemporary Circus in France and the Toronto Fringe Festival, with projects funded by such bodies as The Arts Council of England, Wellcome Trust, Jerwood Foundation and the Canada Council for the Arts. He has also worked in television and film as an actor and writer.
