Black Shalwar – Photograph 3

Series nameProduction: Love Comes in at the Window
Description

This photograph depicts a scene from Rukhsana Ahmad’s play ‘Black Shalwar’, where the main character, Sultana, is having a conversation with her lover, Shankar. ‘Black Shalwar’was part of Kali Theatre’s first double bill production, ‘Love Comes In Through the Window’. The actors from left to right are Ashvin Kumar-Joshi as Shankar and Adele Salem as Sultana.

Date of Creation / Publication1998
CreatorDhanda, Suki
Associated Person/ OrganisationWolf, Rita; Salem, Adele
Location
Collection and Reference NumberKali Theatre Company (GB 2661 KT)
Catalogue NumberKT/PRO/LC/9
Copyright
Access to originalsThe originals are located at Kali Theatre Company.
Series notesLove Comes in at the Window was Kali Theatre Company’s first double-bill production featuring The Ecstasy by Anu Kumar and Black Shalwar by Rukhsana Ahmad. The Ecstasy depicts the relationship between three people, Amit, a sculptor, Jackie, an older woman who becomes Amit’s model and friend, and Sanjay, his boyfriend. It deals with themes of love, friendship and homosexuality. The cast includes: Ashvin Kumar Joshi as Sanjay, Adele Salem as Jackie and Royce Ullah as Amit.

Rukhsana Ahmad’s adaptation of Saadat Hasan Manto’s short story ‘Kali Shalwar’ is set in pre-partition India and explores the life of Sultana, a prostitute, whose attempts at finding love are unsuccessful. The cast of Black Shalwar include: Ashvin Kumar Joshi as Sankar, Adele Salem as Sultana and Royce Ullah as Khuda Buksh.

The production team for Love Comes in at the Window include: Director, Helena Uren, Set Designer, Sophia Lovell Smith and Lighting Designer, David Lawrence. Love Comes in at the Window played in London at the Oval House, and toured in 1998 to the following venues: the Harrow Arts Centre, Watermans Art Centre in Brentford, The Mill Arts Centre in Banbury, The South Street Arts Centre in Reading, The Chipping Norton Theatre, Maltings Arts Centre in St. Alban’s, The Gantry in Southampton, Bowen West Theatre in Bedford, Darlington Arts Centre in Darlington, Live Theatre in Newcastle-Upon Tyne, Queen Elizabeth Hall in Bristol and the Hawth Theatre in Crawley.
Collection notesThe Kali Theatre Company collection consists of digitised material which fall into two categories: items which relate to Kali Theatre’s productions, such as programmes, flyers and photographs and material which provides information about workshops and outreach programmes.