காதல் தோல்விகள் (The Failed Romances) is a bold coming-of-age cabaret that draws inspiration from Tamil cinema.

Blending theatre, live music, movement, and design, it transforms deeply personal stories into a shared cultural experience where humour, memory, and spectacle collide.

Developed over several years with collaborators across Malaysia, Australia, and Singapore, this theatrical experience unfolds with a live six-piece band performing iconic and reimagined Tamil songs while a cast of performers navigate the messy, often contradictory terrain of the heart.

காதல் தோல்விகள் (The Failed Romances) sharply explores the myths surrounding masculinity, femininity, attraction, and belonging shaped by decades of cinema and colonial legacy.

Concept and stories by: TerryandTheCuz
Created and developed by: TerryandTheCuz and Adriano Cortese
Written and directed by: Adriano Cortese and TerryandTheCuz
Music Direction: Ashwin Gobinath
Dramaturgy: Sharmilla Ganesan
Choreography: Harshini Sukumaran
Designed by: TerryandTheCuz
Sound Design: Michael Toisuta
Sound Mixing: Muhamad Faiz Rushli
Video Design: Susie Henderson
Lighting Design: Marti Shlansky

Performers: Govin Ruben & Udaya Soundari
Band: Jamie Gunter (Bass), Shieh Yann Wen (Keyboard), Prakash Kandasamy (Indian Percussion), El Roy (Drums), Pangasaasanii Gowrisan (Violin) & Mohammad Nadzir (Guitar)