Krishnan's Dairy
Ordinary people, legendary love
Krishnan's Dairy takes two of the most universal Indian clichés - the Taj Mahal and the corner store - and fuses them into a funny and touching love story. Gobi and Zina Krishnan have moved to New Zealand in search of a better life for themselves and their child. They work hard and keep their dreams stacked on the shelves of their struggling business - Krishnan's Dairy. Woven into their story is the epic tale of the Taj Mahal, one of the wonders of the world and an enduring testament to the love of one man for his wife. A love story unfolds behind the counter with hilarious and deeply moving consequences for the hopeful, vulnerable lives of this immigrant shopkeeper and his wife.
You'll never look at your corner store in the same way again.
Krishnan's Dairy debuted in 1997 and since then has played to over 47,000, consistently receiving rave reviews and sell out houses. International dates include Edinburgh 1999 where Krishnan's Dairy sold out at the Traverse Theatre, won a Fringe First Award and Jacob was nominated for Best Actor. Other International seasons include Singapore, and the Ten Days on the Island and Castlemaine State Festivals in Australia.
The Candlestickmaker
The formula for happiness
Discover black holes and the formula for happiness in a tribute to one of the greatest astrophysicists of this century, Subramanyan Chandrasekhar. The Candlestickmaker tells the story of a young New Zealand Indian student who, Lonely Planet in hand, ets off to discover India and ends up discovering the mysteries of the universe. Science rarely comes wrapped up this warm and funny.
The Candlestickmaker debuted at the New Zealand Festival 2000 in the extraordinary situation of selling out 3 months before opening, the first theatre production to do so.
Commissioned by the New Zealand International Arts Festival.
The Pickle King
What is worth preserving
Once the finest hotel in town, the Empire is now as faded as the dreams of the piano player who haunts the lobby. Jojo is a heart surgeon. However, as a recent arrival from India the only work he can find is as a night porter in the Empire. Ammachy runs the Empire with an iron fist and has one big problem; her niece is blind and she will not be married. Sasha knows she must not marry because she is cursed - everything she loves dies.
One night Death checks into the Hotel.
Sublime and ridiculous, simple and profound: Indian Ink bring you a play about love, death and what is worth preserving.
Pickle received a record seven nominations in New Zealand's theatre awards 2002, and won the supreme award, "Production of the Year".
It appeared in Singapore at DBS Arts Centre from 30 January to 16 February 2007 presenting three shows each day.
The Guru of Chai
Enlightenment is at hand
Once every millennia there comes a teacher who awakens us all to the power of the divine. But if you can’t wait that long, book an audience with the Guru of Chai! A spiritual leader who will sell you a cup of tea, charm you with his infectious smile, and take away all that is wrong with your life. Enlightenment is at hand.
A poor chaiwallah’s (tea seller) life is changed forever when a young girl is abandoned at a busy railway station and brings the place to a standstill with the beauty of her singing. An honest young policeman falls hopelessly in love but is rejected in favour of a disreputable poet. The contradictions of modern India with its iphones and ancient gods form the backdrop to this story about the dangers of keeping your soul locked in a cage.
Award winning actor Jacob Rajan combines with musician David Ward to bring this intimate epic to life . Outrageously funny and heartbreakingly beautiful, the “Guru's magical elements all add up to a very captivating, moving piece of theatre." Kate Ward Smythe, Theatreview
"The Guru of Chai showcases Jacob at his very best and reinforces him as one of NZ's most hard working, deserving, disciplined and gifted theatre artists--Kate Ward Smythe, Theatreview
The Dentist's Chair
A comedy with bite
This deliciously dark comedy hit a nerve at the New Zealand International Festival, captivating audiences and selling out.
Albert is a dentist with a gift for easing others' pain - but not his own. His long neglected passions are inflamed by a delicate operation on a young woman. In the process of straightening out her teeth will Albert straighten out his life? To complicate matters Albert is haunted by the ghost of William Kemmler, the first person to be executed in the electric chair - and who is encouraging him to make a rather personal extraction.
A brilliant ensemble cast, a live band and richly imaginative visual effects feature in Indian Ink’s trademark style of magical staging and storytelling.
