In Conversation with Pavan Kumar Hari – Child
In this edition of In Conversation, we shine a light on Child—a new show by Ascension Arts, presented with The Blue Room Theatre and showing at Saraswati Mahavidhyalaya from 8 – 19 July. Child is an uplifting journey of rediscovering your inner spark through music, dance, and spoken word. This heartfelt show explores the moment we stop listening to our inner voice and invites us to rekindle our childlike wonder. We caught up with Pavan Kumar Hari to dive into the creative process behind the work and what audiences can expect from this thrilling new production.
What motivated you to apply to be part of The Blue Room Theatre’s 2025 season, and what drew you to this project?
I’ve always seen The Blue Room as a sacred space for bold, intimate storytelling—and Child felt like it belonged there. The work is deeply personal and soul-led, rooted in themes of inner re-wilding, vulnerability, and return to innocence. I was drawn to the idea of bringing something gentle yet potent into a world that often moves too fast. Child emerged from a yearning to strip back the armour we build as adults and reconnect with the raw, intuitive voice of the inner child. The Blue Room felt like the right place to hold that kind of delicate excavation.
How has the creative journey been so far—from concept development to rehearsals?
It’s been both confronting and liberating. The seed of this work has lived in my body for years, and giving it shape has meant revisiting personal memories, emotional landscapes, and moments of silencing. We’ve built the piece through movement, music, improvisation, and soul attunement, rather than a fixed script—which has made the process feel more like a ritual than a rehearsal. Every phase has required me to trust what wants to be expressed, rather than controlling it into form.
How has the collaboration with your cast, crew, and creatives shaped the work and your vision for it?
This team holds space with such care. Their generosity has allowed me to stay vulnerable in the room, which is essential for a show like this. Each collaborator brings a kind of listening that’s more than functional—it’s spiritual. Our conversations aren’t just about blocking or cues; they’re about emotion, intention, memory. It’s shaped Child into something more collective, more spacious. The piece now feels like an offering from all of us, not just me.
What does having your show programmed in The Blue Room Season mean to you as a lead creative?
It’s an honour, but more than that, it’s a deep affirmation. This is the first work I’ve created where I haven’t compromised anything to fit a mould. To have Child received and supported in its full authenticity is a message to me—and hopefully to others—that there’s space in our theatre scene for softness, for slowness, for inner truth. It’s a signal that we can create from our souls and be met with open arms.
As you move closer to opening, what are you most excited—or even nervous—about sharing with audiences?
I’m excited about the silences. The empty spaces. The parts that invite people to feel, rather than analyse. I’m nervous, too, because Child isn’t a show that explains itself. It’s experiential, emotional, and often abstract. But that’s also what I love about it—each audience member will walk away with a different imprint. I hope it gently touches something ancient and tender in people.
What is your show bringing to the Perth arts scene, and what do you think would help strengthen the local arts ecosystem?
Child is offering a different kind of pace—one that leans into embodiment, feeling, and intuitive expression. It brings together music, movement, and ritual in a way that doesn’t try to entertain, but to awaken. As for strengthening our scene, I believe we need more long-term investment in process—not just outcomes. Artists need time, space, and support to go deep, take risks, and build works that emerge from lived experience. We need structures that nourish the roots, not just the fruits.
Image by Shannon Batchelor