Theatre fest turns poignant after transgender play

THRISSUR: The moments on stage after the conclusion of the play Forgotten Stories by transgender actors staged at the 10th International Theatre Festival of Saturday night on the courtyard of regional theatre here witnessed dramatic scenes that surpassed the emotions evoked in the play itself. The play directed by Srijith Sundaram, had 14 trans women and a trans man explaining the struggles of their transgender lives. The sorrow experienced by their close ones and relatives of actors who enacted the play on the stage turned out to be a real life extension of the play.

The mother of trans woman, Daya Gayathri, who was picked by the police along with her sister from a lodge in Erankulam a few weeks ago and slapped with charges of prostitution, broke down on the stage claiming that her ‘son’ was innocent and the cops were taking retaliatory action for the activism shown by the transgender community. Daya’s mother Alphonse said that she was sure that the case was fabricated.

“The parents of transgender children need to stand by the wishes of their children and support them to lead a life by choosing whatever gender they wish to become. The practice of family members dumping the trans on the street needs to stop and I swear to protect and extend my support to Daya,” Alphonse said.

After performing the play, Daya (earlier Melbin) had to appear before the Central Police in Ernakulam on Sunday as a part of the terms mentioned in the bail order. “The stigma associated with the trans are far less in cities like Bengaluru and Chennai and that was the reason why they leave their home in Kerala and wish to live among their community in those cities where they feel more safe,” director of the play Srijith said.