Mixtape for Maladies opened to a near sold-out house at the ASB Waterfront Theatre – the launch of the Auckland Theatre Company’s 2025 season. The place was abuzz with excitement and anticipation of playwright Ahi Karunaharan’s newest work, a semi-autobiographical accounting of his Sri Lankan roots.
Somewhere in beautiful, peaceful Aotearoa, there’s a young man named Deepan (Shaan Kesha) busy working on his fledgeling podcast, who comes across a rare, shiny relic of the past. A cassette tape labelled “Mixtape 1989.” It can only be Mum’s, but Sangeetha (Ambika G.K.R.) tries to brush him off, telling him it’s nothing he’d be interested in, mostly old songs from movies. But when he procures an ancient cassette player and the requisite batteries, she is powerless to stop him. The play button is pressed and strains of Que Sera Sera emerge, tinny and distant, blurring to vibrance as two musicians begin to play and an older man begins to croon. (He is later revealed as Rajan, Sangeetha’s father played by the play’s author).
As each of the seventeen cuts is played, Sangeetha’s childhood and youth unfurls on the stage, while Deepan and Sangeetha observe from stage right. She is a child, (Gemma Jayde Naidoo) bickering with her older sister Subbalaxmi (Tiahli Martyn) and brother Vishwanathan (Ravikanth Gurunathan). Then a teen, falling for the slightly older Anton (Bala Murali Shingade), a secret crush, not allowed because he is a Christian. Feisty Laxmi refuses to marry any man who demands a dowry. The family gets a record player. They laugh and quarrel, as families do. Little reference to the Sri Lankan Civil War, simmering somewhere, but not in their village. Laxmi marries and goes to live in the capital, Colombo. Sweet memories swaying present to past – centre stage to stage right.
But when the war comes to them, Deepan’s mum hesitates; but he should know the full story. And what was at first ‘light entertainment’ transforms to an emotional unveiling and they, and the audience, move centre stage, into the events as they unfold. Kudos to playwright Karunaharan for pulling this manoeuvre off so well; in lesser hands it would have been jarring. And we would not have had the entire audience on their feet with thunderous applause when the curtain fell.
Speaking of curtains – Rachel Marlow and Bradley Gledhill from Filament Eleven 11, devised an ingenious set for this production, possible the best I’ve seen in the ASB Waterfront theatre, worthy of an international production. Sets of curtains rising and falling: shops, street, home, Laxmi’s apartment. It created an unexpected sense of travel and movement in the unique locations as opposed to the more common addition of a significant prop or two to indicate change of setting.
What would a Sri Lankan musical production be without the presentation trio: choreography, costume design and music direction? Ahalya Sathiyaselvan delivered a lively blend of traditional and contemporary dance. Laxmi and Sangeetha’s saris morphed from slapdash kidswear to sophistication thanks to Padma Akula. And Karnan Saba produced a blend of English, Hindi and Sri Lankan tunes, evoking mood and moment.
The play itself? Ahi Karunahan has honed his craft. He knows where the beats are, when to pause, when to race, when to make us laugh or quietly brush a tear away. The love he feels for his story is palpable. I kind of wish the first part of play had a little more depth and that Deepan didn’t come off quite as ignorant of his family’s and Sri Lankan history. I had the sense maybe he was meant to be a young teen, but Shaan Kesha presents as considerably older. Petty stuff. I loved the show from start to finish.
Go see it.
Veronica McLaughlin
Mixtape for Maladies
ASB Waterfront Theatre
4 Mar – 23 Mar 2025
Tickets are available HERE
