Song for a Sanctuary – Photograph 3

Series nameProduction: Song for a Sanctuary
Description

This is a photograph of Rita Wolf, the director of ‘Song for a Sanctuary’ which was written by Rukhsana Ahmad. Ahmad and Wolf co-founded Kali Theatre Company in 1990 to encourage and develop new theatre writing by Asian women.

Date of Creation / Publication1991
CreatorUnknown
Associated Person/ OrganisationWolf, Rita
Location
Collection and Reference NumberKali Theatre Company (GB 2661 KT)
Catalogue NumberKT/PRO/SF/5
Copyright
Access to originalsThe originals are located at Kali Theatre Company.
Series notes‘Song for a Sanctuary’ was written by Rukhsana Ahmad and performed in 1992. Ahmad based her script on the true story of Balwant Kaur, a woman who was murdered by her husband in 1985. When actress Rita Wolf heard that Ahmad was writing this play, she pursued her and after receiving an Arts Council grant, they set up Kali Theatre Company with Song for a Sanctuary as their first production.

Song for a Sanctuary is set in a South London refuge and focuses on the lives and experiences of women who seek shelter after experiencing abuse. The story explores themes of domestic violence and abuse from different cultural perspectives.

The cast of Song for a Sanctuary include: Kusum Haider as Rajinder, Jackie Cowper as Sonia, Rita Wolf as Kamla, Susan McGoun as Eileen, Sanny Bharti as Savita and Simon Nagra as Pradeep. Jamila Massey played the role of Rajinder in the second half of the tour.

Song for a Sanctuary was directed by Rita Wolf and Sue Parrish. The production team includes: Production Manager and Lighting Designer, Alison Wheeler, and Music Director, Kuljit Bhamra. Song for a Sanctuary toured to the Lyric Theatre in London, The Unity Theatre in Liverpool, Hoxton Hall in London, Rotherham Arts Centre, the Norwich Arts Centre and the Birmingham Rep Studio.
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.