‘Is there even a word for “non-binary” in Tamil? How is Amma meant to get me, if I don’t exist in her language?’
A Tamil teenager is preparing for their period party – a coming-of-age ritual meant to mark ‘womanhood’. But Krish isn’t a girl. And this celebration feels more like the start of a never-ending performance.
As expectations mount, Krish decides to take control. With help from their best friend Brenavee and a growing chosen family, Krish imagines the degendered party of their dreams.
Set in 2010, in the aftermath of the Tamil genocide, Gayathiri Kamalakanthan’s play Period Parrrty is at once a story of survival and a trans Tamil rom-com for the ages. Nominated for the Tony Craze Award, it was first performed at Soho Theatre, London, in 2025 as a co‐production between Soho Theatre and Kali Theatre Company.
‘Warm and funny… In many ways, your classic coming-of-age story – full of teenage angst, fumbling romances, and dreams of older, freer years. But Gayathiri Kamalakanthan’s play is also a bold study of Tamil history and identity… a deeply endearing play, with Krish’s inner conflicts about wanting to please their family spilling out across the stage in candid revelations… It’s very funny, too – Kamalakanthan is a master of writing adolescent turmoil… a tender, delicate exploration of self-discovery that hits you right in the emotional gut’
— Guardian
‘A heartwarming portrait of the struggle for self-expression… moving and resonant’
— The Stage
‘A fresh coming-out and coming-of-age story… quietly revolutionary… a simple, radiant idea that lingers long after the lights go down’
— Theatre & Tonic
‘Bold and compelling… Gayathiri Kamalakanthan’s play pushes literary limits in a production bursting with humour, pathos, and cutting sarcasm… laced with sweet and tender moments… funny and full of heart… a moving, refreshingly original work… a real must-see production’
— All That Dazzles
‘A triumph… packed with nuanced discussions about identity, culture and family… it is also surprisingly really funny… heartwarming and adorable’
— Diva
‘Funny and heart-warming… a lovely show and well worth a watch’
— London Pub Theatres Magazine
‘Beautiful, revolutionary and joyful… a triumph’
— A Young(ish) Perspective
