Presented as part of DISRUPT 2026

Created by Krishna Istha & Geetha Shankar
A BAC Production
Directed by Milli Bhatia

Four years ago, Krishna told his mum he was trying to get pregnant and she freaked out. Like, massively freaked out. Krishna didn’t know why. It’s rare for a fight between them to end in tears. But this one did. . . and for good reason.

Love triangles. Missing people. A pregnant son. In Second Trimester, trans performance artist Krishna Istha and his mother, Geetha Shankar, confront pregnancy, loss, gender, and the weight of inherited memories. Using cameras, projections and a bespoke coded interface built for the show, Geetha and Krishna make live choices each night together, constructing a cinematic, Bollywood-inspired epic family saga.

One stage. Two generations. Endless drama. Based on a true story, Second Trimester asks: how well can you ever really know your parents?

The anticipated second show in a trilogy of work, following the critically acclaimed First Trimester.

‘A story that fills hearts to the brim … extraordinary.’ ★★★★ The Stage 
‘Addictive’ – What’s on Stage ★★★★★
‘An antidote of the age’ – Irish Times ★★★★
‘a reflection on how profoundly our familial histories shape our responses to life’s most pivotal choices … gentle [and] tender.’ ★★★★ Reviews Hub

Krishna Istha is a performance artist, theatre-maker, comedian and screenwriter. They create socially conscious form-pushing works about taboo or underrepresented experiences of gender, race and sexual politics.

Previously, they wrote on Netflix’s SEX EDUCATION, and was one of the comedians on the Netflix Comedy Special Hannah Gadsby’s Gender Agenda. Krishna was a Barbican Centre Open Lab artist (2021-22), and an Arts Admin Bursary Artist (2020-21).

A Making Waves Major Commission by Battersea Arts Centre. Made possible with funding by Arts Council England and Cockayne 10th Anniversary Grants for the Arts. Additionally Commissioned by Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts, Cambridge Junction, The Lowry, Marlborough Productions, SICK! Festival, Unlimited.

CREDITS:

• Performer & Co-Creator: Geetha Shankar
• Director: Milli Bhatia
• Creative Producer: Ruby Glaskin
• Creative Coder: Suzanna Hurst
• Video Designer: idontloveyouanymore – Anna West & Davi Callanan
• Dramaturg: Paula Varjack
• Set & Costume Designer: Ting – Huan 挺歡 Christine Urquhart
• Lighting Designer: Joshua Gadsby
• Sound Designer: Joe Jackson
• Sound Designer & Composition: XANA
• Theme Composition: Holly Khan
• Movement Director: Jennifer Jackson
• Associate Movement Director: Gabriella Schmidt
• Production Manager: Benji Huntrods
• Technical Stage Manager: Florian Lim
• Design Associate: Moa Johansson
• Narrator: Shivam Gupta
• Script Dramaturg: Saraid de Silva
• Outside Eye: Emma McManus
• Wellbeing Support: Sabah Choudrey
• Artist Access Support: Lottie Vallis
• Pregnancy Support: Josefeen Foxten
• Hair & Make Up Support: Rachel Porter
• Voice Coach: Gurkiran Kaur
• PR Associate: Joy Parkinson
• BSL Support: Deepa Shastri
• Marketing & Branding Creative Director: Emily Drake
• Graphics & Brand Design: Rob Wallace, Josh Quinton, Logan Rea
• Audience Connectors: Gayithiri Kamalakan & Jamie Locke
• Senior Producer for BAC: Oscar Owen

photo credit 1: Josh Quinton / photo credit 2: Anna Hay / production photos: Ali Wright & Christa Hlka

Strictly 18+
Duration: 90 minutes (no interval)
Warnings: Contains haze, loud noises, flashing lights, references to child loss, references to Transphobia and references to Racism.

All Performances will be RELAXED. We invite you to make yourself comfortable and move around the space if you need to, tick stim and make noise and if you need to leave the performance at any moment you will be allowed to return to the space at any moment. 

£18.50 • £13 student • £7.50 Troop members

No booking fees when you become a Member – save from £3 per ticket!