Second Trimester

In Second Trimester, trans performance artist Krishna Istha and their mother, Geetha Shankar, present us with themes such as pregnancy, loss, and gender. In a Bollywood-inspired, epic and cinematic family saga, they bring these often difficult-to-discuss subjects together in a performance full of humour. A playful dynamic between two generations on one stage lightens the weight of their memories. Four years ago, Krishna told his mother that she was trying to get pregnant. She panicked, without Krishna knowing exactly why. In Second Trimester, trans performance artist Krishna Istha and their mother, Geetha Shankar, present us with themes such as pregnancy, loss, gender, and the relativity of the concept of 'choice' in this context. In a Bollywood-inspired, epic family saga, they immerse us in a world full of otherworldly projections and stories – as if we were watching a movie live. Despite the often difficult-to-discuss subjects, Krishna and Geetha together deliver a humorous performance in which a playful dynamic between two generations on one stage lightens the weight of their memories. Krishna Istha said about Second Trimester: ‘When I told my mother that I wanted to have a child, I realized that her reaction stemmed from her own experiences with parenthood. She had kept secrets in her life because there was no one to listen to her, and as an artist for whom theatre has a therapeutic effect, I suggested that we create a performance together. I make art as a way to process my life, and I wanted to give her a place where she could tell her own story and feel heard.’ Geetha Shanker added: ‘I want to be part of this performance because my journey with my trans child has become my greatest teacher and source of inspiration. • Krishna Istha is a London-based performance artist, screenwriter, comedian, and theatre maker. They create socially conscious, boundary-pushing works addressing taboo subjects or under-explored experiences in the sphere of gender, race, and sexual politics. Krishna's most recent theatre production, First Trimester (Five Stars, Whats On Stage), is currently on tour, following shows in London, New Zealand, Copenhagen, and Dublin, with more tour dates on the horizon. First Trimester was nominated for an Off West End Award (OFFIES 2024) in the IDEA PRODUCTION: Experimental Theatre category, and won the Judge’s Choice Award at the Dublin Fringe Festival. Krishna currently has several original television series in development and is writing a feature film for BBC Films. A BAC Production