The Failed Romances – Tamil Cinema-Inspired Theater at Lincoln Center

Malaysian theater company TerryandTheCuz makes its U.S. debut at Lincoln Center with காதல் தோல்விகள் (The Failed Romances), a genre-defying theatrical cabaret inspired by the larger-than-life world of Tamil cinema.

Created by TerryandTheCuz and Adriano Cortese, the production combines theater, live music, movement, and inventive design to transform deeply personal stories of romance into a shared cultural experience. A six-piece live band performs iconic and reimagined Tamil songs as the performers navigate love, heartbreak, memory, and the often contradictory terrain of relationships.

But The Failed Romances goes beyond tales of broken hearts. Drawing on decades of cinematic storytelling and colonial legacy, the production examines how popular culture has shaped ideas about masculinity, femininity, attraction, and belonging. Developed over several years with collaborators from Malaysia, Australia, and Singapore, the show brings a distinctly Southeast Asian perspective to the Lincoln Center stage.