Synopsis: Rachel Sinclair, a Canadian journalist and creative writing teacher, disappears from her home after devouring eight watermelons. Her last social media post is a verse from “Arirang,” the Korean folk song. Chris Jung, a Korean detective, is brought in to investigate the case. Chris enters Rachel’s home and notices rinds of watermelon, a penis, Frida Kahlo paintings, poems about love and performance, and a manuscript about Mexican female journalists. He wonders if Rachel disappeared in Mexico. He feels he is inside Rachel Sinclair and perceives, in multiple languages, what it means to disappear in Mexico . .

The Mystery of Rachel Sinclair is a collaboratively created Zoom performance, focused on the investigation of the disappearance of a fictional Canadian journalist. The intersection of art and technology is reflected not only in the process of cross-continental collaboration via Zoom but also in the story exploring the carnal, the primordial, and the natural in a world overwhelmed with technology. The piece adapts different theatrical forms, multiple languages (English, Spanish, Korean, Finnish, French, and German), and specific cultural sentiments from the home countries of the group members. It further examines the intersectionality and fluidity of borders and identities, how language both creates and evades meaning across borders, and how to evoke sensory experience in the technological medium.

Arariyo, an interdisciplinary collective, unites artists from South Korea, Mexico, Finland, and America. Originating from the International Dramaturgy Lab (IDL) in 2020, facilitated by global networks amidst pandemic restrictions, the collective thrives on cross-border collaboration. Led by figures like Walter Byongsok Chon, a dramaturg and translator, and Rachel Parish, an artist exploring urban ecologies, its members include Tania Santos, a Mexican writer and artist, and Davide Giovanzana, a theatre director from Finland. Together, they utilize technology to transcend geographical and cultural barriers, fostering innovative creative ventures. This collective endeavor encourages a rich exchange of ideas and perspectives, enriching artistic endeavors across national contexts.