Dominic Rai

Founder and Artistic Director of Mán Méla Theatre company.

Dominic founded the Mán Melá Theatre Company eight years ago after working with various theatre companies including Tara Arts, Watford Palace theatre-in-education and Birmingham Rep.

His interest in South Asian literature and languages, particularly Panjabi and Hindi-Urdu, is reflected in Mán Melá’s work. Innovatory productions have included 

Kya Haal Hai? - How are you Keeping? in Hindi/Urdu – and 

Dominic originated Hamari Kahani - Our Story - for Theatre Venture. 

For Mán Melá, Dominic directed a string of critically acclaimed stage shows including:

• Asian Voices, which looked at the British Asian experience in the 20th century, 

• The Dangers of Common Sense, an HIV awareness play aimed at young people, 

• We Sinful Women, based on contemporary Urdu poetry, and 

• AZADI: The Story of Freedom, which toured nationally with support from the Arts Council.

Dominic directed two shows based on the writings of the great Indian novelist Mulk Raj Anand. Across the Black Waters was adapted from his classic World War One novel while 

The Untouchable Century looked at his life and work. 

Most widely seen production to date directed by Dominic was The Cornershop, a triple bill by three new British Asian writers. This toured nationally in spring 2001 and led to coverage in national newspapers like The Times and The Guardian and on BBC Television and the Asian network, Channel East. Dominic was also involved in the London Arts Board trainee dramaturg scheme and leads Write Now! workshops for new writers in South East London. 

He has staged Asian comedy shows at the Albany Theatre in south east London and in February 2001 he gave a dramatised presentation on the British Asian experience in Britain called Descendants of Soldiers as part of Team GB? at London’s South Bank. 

In summer 2001, he will be artist in residence with East Side Arts, London, and in the autumn artist-in-residence at Queen Margaret College, Edinburgh. Dominic was born in India, brought up in Birmingham and lives with his family in south east London. 

Mán Melá Theatre Company 

The company's mission is to celebrate the British Asian experience by producing exciting and challenging theatre and working towards a contemporary British Asian aesthetic inspired by the poetic sources of the Indian sub-continent. Founded in 1993, Mán Melá is the only professional South Asian theatre company in south-east London. Its current work is dedicated to new writing. Mán Melá’s latest production, The Cornershop, is a triple bill by three new writers, Ravi Mangat, Yasmin Khan and Ashok Patel. The show came out of two years’ collaboration with the Hawth Theatre in Crawley including community outreach and workshops. 

In development is The Exchange of Lunatics by the widely respected writer Amarjit Chandan. The first play the company has been able to commission, it is a highly topical drama based on Manto’s masterly short story set after the Partition of India and is being developed in Panjabi with English translation. 

In 1999 Mán Melá’s work with new writers included improvisation and stand-up comedy at the Albany. Artists included The Funjabis, Ashok Patel, Jay Sodagar, Bebz G, Jemima Khan-(Not)!, Paul Chowdhury, Shappi Khorsandi and Rohan. Highlight was the Millennium Masala showcase at the Bloomsbury Theatre. The company organised the successful series of Write Now! workshops for new writers at the Albany. This resulted in a formidable amount of new stage work from up-and-coming playwrights and special Writers’ Days. 

In 1998-9, the company celebrated the life and work of the 94 year-old Indian writer Mulk Raj Anand, adapting his World War One novel Across the Black Waters. The role of Indian soldiers in the service of Britain has been a continuous theme in the company's work. Mán Melá has a long record of community involvement resulting in two commissioned shows, The Dangers of Common Sense (in which the company worked with young people) and Kya Haal Hai? (How are you Keeping?) involving elders. 

Mán Melá Theatre Company has developed with the support of the London Borough of Lewisham and has attracted project funding from London Arts Board, the Arts Council of England, Scottish Arts Council and the London Boroughs Grants Committee. The company is based at the Albany Theatre, Douglas Way, Deptford, London SE8 4AG. It can be contacted on 020 8692 3292. 

Company's e-mail address is man-mela@dircon.co.uk
Please check out its website: www.man-mela.dircon.co.uk

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