GIRI DEVI – SECTION 364A – Sri Lanka – 27th August

Giri Devi – Section 364A is a haunting mono drama that intertwines contemporary courtroom trauma with ancient folklore to question justice, consent, and society’s gaze on women. A young girl stands at a witness box, silenced and confused, as a defense attorney reframes sexual abuse as mutual consent under Section 364A of the Sri Lankan Penal Code. Her fragmented memory reveals betrayal, violation, and helplessness, echoing the fate of Giri Devi, who emerges on stage as both narrator and mirror.

Through ritual dance, folk songs, and poetic monologue, Giri Devi recounts her own tragedy—abandoned as an infant due to prophecy, denied familial love, and later condemned for desires shaped by isolation. The drama exposes how myths, laws, and social interpretations repeatedly sexualize women while erasing their suffering. Bridging past and present, the play challenges audiences to confront misogyny, victim-blaming, and the enduring failure to see women beyond their bodies.