AN ASIAN LGBTQ+ performer has spoken of their experiences as a trans person in the arts industry, as their latest show premieres at an UK theatre this month.
Krishna Istha is a performer and comedian whose show Beast is part of the Trans Pride season at The Marlborough Theatre in July.
Beast, which is part-stand-up comedy and part-performance art, centralises on Istha’s experiences of being a trans masculine person.
Growing from the Hackney-based artist’s love of consuming comedy, Istha admitted it was also partly down to not seeing a diverse range of artists on the stage.
“I found that comedy was so often populated by cis (non trans) white men and that trans people, people of colour, disabled folk and other marginalised people were often reduced to punchlines and rarely were we the comedians on stage,” they told Eastern Eye.
While making the show with their director, Australian comedian Zoe Coombs Marr, Istha began to investigate what it meant to carry the weight and responsibility of becoming a man in 2019 as a trans person.
“Often we see these (cis) men making crude jokes about periods, abortions and women, I thought there was comedy in someone who is a trans man, for example making period or pregnancy jokes, considering I had an actual right to do so (unlike cis men), and the experiences to speak from,” the 25-year-old explained.
“Some of my favourite parts of the show are the ones that flip people’s expectations of what makes a man and what makes a woman.”
The need to perform comes from Istha’s love of fun. Referring to themselves as a “big child at heart”, Istha loves making and staging new work.
The sense of play that comes with generating material, solving problems and staging something makes Istha feel like they are participating in several difficult occupations at once.
“It feels a bit like being a child and feeling like anything is possible,” they enthused.
Asked if they believe the LGBTQ+ community was becoming more visible in the arts industry, Istha agreed that they had. While growing up, Istha felt they had no other artists to relate to.
“(Although) I’m certain that they existed, but often our stories aren’t archived as well as others,” they remarked. Now, there are an array of queer south Asian artists and collectives making work in the UK including acts such as drag queen Asifa Lahore, artist Raju Rage, and comedian Mawaan Rizwan.
Istha is pleased that the visibility of diverse artists is greater than ever before and hopes it will inspire others to follow their lead. Encouraging others to pursue careers in the industry, Istha urged aspiring creatives to apply for any appealing schemes they can find.
“Now, more than ever, there are grants, mentorship and backing for LGBTQ+ people trying to pursue a career in the arts,” they commented.
“Apply – you might only hear back from 10 per cent of those applications, emails and introductions, but that 10 per cent is the experience you need to push yourself forward.”
Although Istha cannot recall an instance when their work has been turned down due to their sexuality or ethnic heritage, they are sure their work has been overlooked for someone more “mainstream”.
“But people know better than to email you with a rejection letter that states that,” they joked. “It is 2019 after all!”
Istha, originally from Bangalore, came out as trans masculine five years ago. Describing their coming out process, Istha said it was “quite non-eventful”.
They started identifying as trans close to six years ago but didn’t really have a big “coming-out” moment. Istha just started living life the way they wanted to, and said people soon caught up with the changes.
“Gradual desensitisation, as I like to call it,” the artist remarked. “I trickle fed information and
changes to my mum the same way – like being in a slow cooker, not a pressure cooker. It’s an effective coming out method in my opinion.”
Beast is at The Marlborough Theatre, Wednesday July 17.
AN ASIAN writer has explained how his new book makes Britain’s imperial past “accessible, engaging and thought-provoking” for a younger audience.
Award-winning author and journalist Sathnam Sanghera’s new book, Journeys of Empire, explores empire through 10 journeys he described as being “extraordinary”. Sanghera said his book, published last month by Puffin UK, is “a way of helping children understand how Britain’s biggest story still shapes the world today.”
“We’re not taught this history very well,” he told Eastern Eye.
“The empire is morally complex – sometimes we were good, sometimes bad – so, how do you even begin talking about it? It’s also contentious. There are millions of us whose families were colonised, and millions whose families were the colonisers.”
Teachers cannot teach what they themselves were never taught, Sanghera pointed out.
“There are multiple layers to why British people are so bad at talking about this history. It touches on race, misogyny and geopolitics. It’s easier just not to talk about it.”
And , the cover of his book
Following the success of his bestselling children’s title Stolen History, Sanghera’s this latest work continues Sanghera’s mission to write for readers aged nine and above. With a focus on human experiences, Sanghera said he wanted show that history is not just a list of dates or conquests – it’s a tapestry of stories that connect people.
Born in Wolverhampton to Punjabi immigrant parents, he began school unable to speak English. Later he graduated with first-class honours in English language and literature from Christ’s College, Cambridge.
He has since built a career as a writer and journalist.
His memoir, The Boy with the Topknot, and his novel, Marriage Material, were both shortlisted for the Costa Book Awards. Empireland, Sanghera’s exploration of Britain’s colonial legacy, was longlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non- Fiction, named a Book of the Year at the 2022 National Book Awards, and inspired the Channel 4 documentary series Empire State of Mind.
His first children’s book, Stolen History, introduced young readers to the complex and often overlooked realities of empire. With Journeys of Empire, Sanghera aims to go further. “When I finally learned about the British empire, it changed how I saw myself, how I saw Britain, and how I saw India,” he said.
“It seemed obvious that you’d want to give this gift to young people – because your 40s is a bit late to be learning all this.”
Sanghera said the 10 journeys in the book take readers across continents and centuries, revealing both the ambition and the brutality of empire.
“The British empire covered a quarter of the world’s surface and a large portion of its population. It was seven times the size of the Roman empire,” he said.
Aiming to ensure diversity in both perspective and geography, Sanghera said he chose stories from various countries and different phases of the 400-year history.
Alongside India and Mahatma Gandhi, readers will learn about Guyana’s indentured labour system, Gertrude Bell’s adventures in Iraq, and the British invasion of Tibet led by Francis Younghusband.
“I wanted to highlight areas often left out of mainstream narratives,” the writer said. The stories are written with an accessible and honest tone, and with humour.
“Violence is a tricky area,” Sanghera said. “You can’t go into graphic detail, but you also shouldn’t whitewash it. The violence and racism of colonialism were intrinsic. “I tried to strike a balance - acknowledging the brutality without overwhelming young readers.”
Writing for children isn’t much different from writing for adults, Sanghera said.
“You still need engaging stories and to hold attention. The main thing is to avoid big words that might put them off.”
He pointed out how storytelling can counter the allure of digital screens.
“Kids are addicted to screens, and reading rates are falling globally. That’s disastrous for mental health, intellectual development, and politics,” he said.
“When you get news from screens, you’re in an echo chamber – you’re not being challenged or taught to think in a nuanced way.”
Sanghera’s hope is that stories of Journeys of Empire – from pirates to princes and explorers to rebels – will draw in young readers to a world of curiosity and reflection. He said, “The British empire is a complex story. Even the ‘good guys’ had flaws. That’s what makes it worth understanding.”
At the heart of his book is a message about complexity and contradiction. “The empire involved slavery and the abolition of slavery. It caused environmental destruction and inspired environmentalism. We live in a world that struggles with nuance, but that’s what makes us human,” Sanghera said.
“My hope is that readers – kids and adults – learn that opposite things can be true at the same time.”
After six years of writing about empire, Sanghera said he’s ready for a change. His next book will focus on the late pop star George Michael, due out in June next year.
“I thought George Michael would be a nice break from empire. But then I learned that his father came from Cyprus - which was under British rule. The reason he left Cyprus was because of the British. So, even George Michael’s story connects back to empire. You can’t escape it, wherever you go.”
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