What drew you to the character of Laxmibai of Jhansi?

Women joined [Subhash Chandra] Bose’s Indian National Army in Singapore, and he referred to them as the Jhansi Ki Rani Regiment. He was directly referring to Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi who fell martyr to the mighty British Army in 1858. Her story has since been the story of many struggles, including feminism. All these are clues for me, and I am only referring to them.  They serve as a back drop for my personae to carry out the task of making drawings in the performance. My concerns are to tell a story while also testing my own physical and mental limits.

What went into the writing of the piece and into preparation for the role?

I don’t have a script. I have a “map”. I know where I am headed, but much of what will happen is unknown and will need to be tackled spontaneously. I have no way of rehearsing, as it is impossible to simulate the conditions of Theaterworks. I fall back on my previous performances as a directory of performative encounters that expands with every performance I do. Besides, I visited Singapore for research. I visited the National Museum and the Archives and was struck by how much India’s and Singapore’s histories are interwoven into one another. And in the present, I am struck by how much Indians are part of Singapore’s identity.

What are the demands of a 50-hour performance?

I must be relaxed. I must be calm. I must stay focused. I must always breathe. I must eat. I must draw. I must rest. I must sleep. I must listen to my body. I must resist the desire to quit. I must finish the performance.

Give Me Your Blood and I Will Give You Freedom starts Aug 15 and runs till the end of Aug 17. For event details, click here.