The performer in pink supports the performer in teal horizontally, creating a flying shape under vivid stage light.

Cage, The Vaults2020

Santi & Naz

The Production

The Thelmas’ Santi & Naz premiered at VAULT Festival 2020, telling a queer coming-of-age friendship story between two young women—one Sikh, one Muslim—in pre-Partition India. Steve Gregson photographed the production during its VAULT Festival run at The Vaults.

36 photographs in the curated edit

Director: Madelaine Moore
Associate Director: Medhavi Patel
Lighting Design: Rajiv Pattani
Set Design: Sascha Gilmour
Sound Design: Sarah Sayeed
Photography: Steve Gregson

A wide blue-lit stage shows two performers dancing or running apart across a glossy floor.

A performer in pink looks anxiously forward while the other stands behind holding a book in blue-purple light.

Both performers raise their arms as a pale scarf billows between them in purple and pink light.

A wide view places one performer standing far left with their back turned and the other seated far right on the lit floor.

Against a black background, pink-clad arms wrap around the performer in teal with hands placed on the chest and stomach.

Two performers stand opposite each other and exchange a small paper above pale fabric spread on the floor.

The performers huddle closely over a book, their faces lit by warm side light against a dark stage.

A performer in teal stands alone in a circular spotlight while another figure is dimly visible behind.

One performer in pink steadies or holds the performer in teal as they lean together in a wide stage view.

The two performers stand face to face beside the stone-like set, their bodies tense and close.

The performer in teal crouches over an open book in the foreground while the performer in pink gestures behind.

Two performers in pink and teal move across the stage, one swinging hair and skirt under magenta light.

A close double portrait shows the performer in teal in front with a hand to the chest and the performer in pink behind.

One performer lies on the stage floor while the other stands watching in a wide pink and blue wash.

The performer in pink gestures while speaking against a dark background and cool side light.

The two performers face each other while holding a length of pale fabric in a narrow pool of light.

The performer in pink embraces the performer in teal from behind, both framed closely against the dark stage.

A performer in teal stands alone near the edge of a small pool of light on a mostly dark stage.

The performer in teal stands foreground with eyes closed while the performer in pink holds a small bouquet behind.

Two performers stand far apart beneath a smoky overhead beam and a patterned pool of light on the floor.

The performers confront each other across a bright patterned light with haze rising at centre stage.

A performer in pink stands foreground while the performer in teal sits far away in blue haze.

The performer in pink carries a brown suitcase at the stage edge while the performer in teal stands in a distant spotlight.

Two performers sit by the stone-like set, one reading a book while the other wears a yellow headscarf and looks outward.

A silhouetted performer in teal stands in blue light with a long white fabric train trailing across the floor.

Two performers sit close together on the floor, one leaning against the other in soft violet light.

A seated performer in pink reaches toward the head of the performer in teal, who is reading from a book.

A performer in teal points while standing near chairs, facing the performer in pink under cool blue light.

The performer in teal sits foreground with a book in their lap while the performer in pink reclines behind them.

The performer in teal speaks animatedly to the performer in pink in a close, side-lit exchange.

A performer in a pale headscarf smiles toward a pink-lit figure seen from behind.

The two performers stand close together under a row of magenta stage lights.

A performer in pink stands foreground facing out while the other sits behind near translucent fabric and stone-like set pieces.

A performer in teal stands alone reading from a book at centre stage with set pieces behind.

The performers stand face to face and clasp hands under warm stage light.

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