Photo by Tiu Makkonen
Take Me Somewhere Commission
The Mongrel
Shawn Nayar
(Scotland)
16 October 2025 | 8.30pm — 9.00pm
17 October 2025 | 7.00pm — 7.30pm
£10 | £7 (Concession)
Recommended for age 15+
Strange Field (Directions)
Audio Description / Touch Tour Available
The figure of the Mongrel emerges from British Imperial rule where the Empire, fearing the "mongrelization" of the white race, isolated Anglo-Indians from both British and Indian communities. These imperial orderings bind the rippling contours of the Mongrel’s body and carry mangled histories of exclusion and resistance.
This performance work navigates the contradictory narratives that emerge when tracing Anglo-Indian and mixed race histories, placing physically intense choreography within the spectacle of a ritual to confront this conflicting tale of ancestry. Live vocals entwine with abrasive choreographic arrangements, layering to erupt as violent cathartic releases - acts of radical self-care that seek to upturn and disrupt colonial legacies.
Video by Lizzie MacKenzie
Access Notes
This performance offers live Creative Audio Description, by Juliana Capes, via headsets.
A touch tour will take place 30 mins prior to the performance. Please book an 'Audio Described Ticket' and we will contact you to confirm details.
Sensory Notes:
Loud Music
Smoke, Fog or Haze
Scent (natural, Jasmine)
Tactile Artwork
Allergen (coconut oil, on stage only)
Venue and Seating:
Strange Field (Ground floor). Wheelchair accessible. Strange Field venue access information.
Seating: Immersive seating in the round; with 50 seats and 10 standing places. If you require a seat please let a member of front of house know.
Visit our Festival Access Page.
The instrument that will play throughout the performance.
Audio Description Pre-show Audio Notes
Listen below for Audio Described notes that detail what audiences can expect in the show, including audio samples of the instrument which will be playing throughout the performance (pictured). A version of these notes will also be delivered to Audio Description users before the performance via headsets. These notes are read by Shawn Nayar.
Content Notes
Partial Nudity
High intensity physical performance
Exploration of colonialism
Artist Bio
Shawn Nayar is a performing artist who traces queer diasporic histories to expose the violence embedded in their colonial fractures. As these histories are tumultuous, his body of work contorts to capture them by facilitating critical discourse across intrinsic movement pieces, multimedia installations, and performance lectures.
By allowing his body to inhabit different facets of a complex lived experience, he creates collective encounters that encourage audiences to engage with historical legacies in the present moment.
He has made work for Riposte raves (London) and Scottish Festivals such as Buzzcut and Edinburgh Art Festival, most recently performing at Actoral Festival (France).
Credits
Artistic Direction and Lead Performer: Shawn Nayar
Vocal dramaturg and Performer: Mira Kazak
Stage & Instrument Design: Theodora Koumbouzis
Production Manager: Anissa Parquin
Sound Engineer: Sam Annand
Producer: MC Laffitte
Dramaturg and Choreography Consultant: Nxa Parinussa
A Take Me Somewhere commission made possible with thanks to Creative Scotland, Sanctuary Queer Arts’ Development Fund, Tramway, Hospitalfield
