Saria Callas

Saria Callas is a bold multimedia play about aspiring to be a singer while growing up in a place where it is forbidden for women to sing.

Already a bottle of red in, Saria reminisces about her experiences of childhood to womanhood. We revisit Tehran, the schoolbus parties, the wannabe prayer-caller and the secret acts of rebellion at the all-girls’ school.

“Did I get used to oppression, or is music my way of fighting?”

Now Saria stands at a crossroads with her child. How does a woman who has experienced firsthand repression of her body and voice react as her child struggles with their own gender identity? This sexy, camp, pop-filled play highlights an often unheard perspective of the supportive parent, unpacking the intersectional grey area of what life is like for women.

Saria Callas was commissioned by Camden People’s Theatre’s Starting Blocks and was originally co-presented with A Play, A Pie and A Pint. Devised with support from Oxford Playhouse as part of EVOLVE and public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England.