March 19, 2021

Prayas Theatre presents First World Problems 3.0 More Mirchi. No Milk

Aotearoa’s largest South Asian Theatre company, Prayas, serves First World Problems 3.0 — bigger, fresher and tastier— with a cast of 18 taking over Basement Theatre for the third time this April.

Celebrating new and fresh writers, locally grown!

Art brings people together—even in uncertain times. In a world where masks, sanitisers, and lockdowns are the new norm, we turn to art to soothe and comfort us, make us more resilient, and offer a glimmer of hope. The joy of going against all odds to bring something to life, makes it all worth it!

The 5 writers featured, used their time in lockdown to reflect and write these stories that started out as a script development opportunity sponsored by CNZ. The stories cover themes of

Memory and connection
Brotherly reconciliations
Families and the patterns they repeat in our lives
Unconventional interviews, relationships and intergenerational conflict.

Colour yourself impressed by the works of Aman Bajaj & Tim Booth, Mayen Mehta, Nirvana Haldar and Mereana Latimer who were mentored by Margaret-Mary Hollins, Dione Joseph & Justine Simei-Barton, over the course of that time!

Celebrating new & returning collaborators!

From Aotearoa Arts Foundation Laureate to history-makers, Auckland’s powerhouses come together to bring First World Problems for a third season.

Agaram’s Ahi Karunaharan continues to guide and support Prayas’ work alongside
Sananda Chatterjee returns to curate & direct after a successful season with ATC’s Two Ladies as their Assistant Director.
Marianne Infante, Proudly Asian Theatre’s EP joins under Basement Theatre’s Co-Pro to support as producer and to implement a tuakana-teina model mentoring three new emerging Producers (Adel Abeid, Sayanti Chatterjee-Julian and Farhein Akmal).
Daniel Fernandez from Babel & Gemishka Chetty from Creative Creatures lend their devising talents to make new ensemble works.

First World Problems 3.0 features a cast of 18 actors and is an opportunity to see the emerging talent in Auckland theatre, including Toi Whakaari graduate Jehangir Homavazir and Utsav Patel from Shortland Street.

Feast your eyes on a company of eager talent whose strong emphasis on collaboration creates something unique and powerful.

“FWP is like a megaphone that amplifies the smallest of sounds that often goes unheard to reverberate. Created and developed three years ago as a means to pump up the volume of our South Asian community, this compilation tape styled format has evolved allowing for a pick and mix styled night out that collides differing ideas, styles and worlds together.This is my favorite way of working. The whole village comes to the party”.

-Ahi Karunaharan

First World Problems 3.0 celebrates the coming together of Prayas and friends to help spark unique stories. Our kaupapa grows alongside our cast and crew to continue representing the melting pot of cultures in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

THIS DELICIOUS FEAST IS A CONCOCTION OF NEW WRITING AND COLLABORATIONS THAT WILL LEAVE YOU SMACKING YOUR LIPS ONCE AGAIN.