Period Parrrty

Award-winning Period Party follows Krish (Elizabeth Green), who, at 16 and to their mum’s delight, has just started their period. A fully fledged Tamil ceremony is underway, complete with saris, extended family, and even a videographer streaming the entire event live for far-flung relatives. There’s only one problem: Krish is not a girl.

Krish is beginning to embrace their non-binary gender expression. Despite the unconditional love of their best friend and cheerleader, Brenavee (Tanvir Virmani), the already palpable traditional pressure from their Sri Lankan mother, Amma (Rani Moorthy), is about to crescendo in a celebration that contradicts the very person Krish is trying to become. How can they tell Amma, who speaks only her mother tongue at home, who they are, when they’re not even sure if queer identities or vocabulary exist in Tamil?

When the big day arrives, Krish must decide whether to put on a brave face to appease Amma or double down on their identity. Soon, a seemingly tokenistic diversity-themed school project turns unexpectedly enlightening, leading Krish to a vibrant community of Tamil LGBTQ+ individuals. Through them, Krish discovers that if there’s a god made of both man and woman, and a sequin-clad male deity in a dress, then of course people like them do, and always have, existed.

When the big day arrives, Krish must choose between putting on a brave face to appease Amma or standing firm in their identity. What begins as a seemingly tokenistic, diversity-themed school project soon becomes unexpectedly enlightening, guiding Krish to a vibrant community of Tamil LGBTQ+ folk. Through them, Krish discovers that if there’s a god made of both man and woman, and a sequin-clad male deity in a dress, then of course people like them do, and always have, existed.

Through Amma, Brenavee, and Krish, we view three rich and layered third-culture experiences. Rani is flawless and intricately layered as Amma. In some scenes, we are frustrated with her: an overpowering parent whose grasp of the past is restricting her from embracing life with her offspring in the present. But in other scenes, we see with biting clarity just how important it is for her to keep her heritage alive, having left everything she knew back in Sri Lanka, fleeing the civil war.

Elizabeth and Tanvir are brilliant besties as Krish and Brenavee, Tanvir’s deadpan delivery an antidote to Elizabeth’s more excitable nature. Their infectious ability to giggle at anything drove many of the more amusing moments. Tanvir was particularly funny, a personal highlight was her nonchalantly munching on her thatti inappropriately whilst Amma and Krish argued.

It all unfolds on Katie Scott’s impressively dynamic set, which had as much going on as the plot, but similarly just about managed to pull it all together. With all the elements you'd expect from a teenage coming-of-age story, but with a considered take on Tamil culture and all the charm you'd expect from a traditional celebration, there is something for everyone at this period party.