Seemia Theatre presents a one-woman show from Sara Amini that dives into identity, freedom of expression and gender non-conforming children in a camp, musical tragicomedy.
Sara is relaxing in her lounge when we enter the theatre, and one lucky audience member (me, in this case!) is greeted personally and handed a glass of wine from her half-empty bottle. It feels as if we’re friends hanging out at her place as she recounts growing up in the shadow of the 1979 Iranian Revolution, where aspiring to be a superstar singer was impossible and rigid gender norms were enforced.
The story unfolds with costume changes, videos of school minibus karaoke and Iranian weddings, and plenty of songs; Sara tackles everything from 80s Madonna to Iranian pop and, as the title suggests, pieces performed by Callas such as Habanera from Carmen which were a real treat. Sara’s child Nima also loves to perform, doing ‘women’s’ celebration dances and wearing headscarves, and soon she finds herself in conflict with her family.
From discovering revealing clothes and nightclubbing in Paris, to abortion-hunting in Poland, Sara’s life has been colourful, and whether dancing on the table making the most of being school prayer caller or reliving surprisingly similar arguments with her mother and child, she relates it with enthusiasm and a cheeky wink. Information is available after the show for any parent who needs help and advice if their child’s gender doesn’t match the one assigned at birth.
Saria Callas is a warm, cheeky, moving ode to being yourself that deserves a wider audience.
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Saria Callas is at Underbelly Belly Button from 15-24 Aug.