Tamasha

Kristine Landon-Smith and I met at Tara Arts in 1986 when we were both acting in a play called The Broken Thigh, an episode from the Indian epic, the Mahabharata. We played the male Kaurava warriors, Duryodhana and Karna. Our deep friendship led us to co-found Tamasha in 1989, and for 23 years it was the place where the two of us collaborated on and commissioned significant, ground-breaking work which reached new and diverse audiences. Our partners included Birmingham Rep, Lyric Hammersmith, Soho theatre, Hampstead Theatre, The Royal Court, Theatre Royal Stratford East, Belgrade Coventry and Edinburgh International Festival.

Tamasha changed lives and helped launch the career of many successful artists. Parminder Nagra, Archie Panjabi, Jimmy Mistri, Raza Jaffery, Ayub Khan-Din, Ishy Din, Satinder Chohan and Em Hussain are among Tamasha’s glittering alumni.

My Tamasha journey led me to perform in Untouchable, House of the Sun, Women of the Dust, A Shaft of Sunlight, A Yearning, Fourteen Songs Two Weddings and a Funeral, Strictly Dandia, A Fine Balance, Sweet Cider and Strictly Dandia

I have co adapted and written Untouchable, House of the Sun, A Tainted Dawn, Fourteen Songs, Two weddings and a Funeral, A Fine Balance and Strictly Dandia (with Kristine Landon-Smith) and Balti Kings (with Shaheen Khan). My solo writer credits are Child of the Divide, The House of Bilquis Bibi, and My Name is…

Collaborations are Ryman and the Sheikh and The Trouble with Asian Men.

Other Tamasha commissions during my tenure are East is East, Ghost Dancing, All I want is a British Passport, Lyrical MC, Wuthering Heights, Auntie Netta’s Holiday for Asylum, The Arrival and Blood.

I led the succession of Tamasha in 2015 and the company continues to cause a a commotion. For more information about Tamasha’s history, please visit kristinelandonsmith.com and tamasha.org.uk