The Trilogy of Indian Ink Indian Ink Theatre Co

The Trilogy of Indian Ink Indian Ink Theatre Company

Jacob Rajan and Justin Lewis are delighted to announce that Indian Ink will perform repertory seasons of their much loved plays The Pickle King, The Candlestickmaker and Krishnan’s Dairy in Auckland and Wellington.

Due to strong demand we have decided to reprise the productions in a unique format that will allow theatre lovers to see all three plays over four nights. For 2 weeks in each city the shows will rotate in repertory, changing every two nights to travel twice through the Indian Ink trilogy.

Indian Ink’s productions have won awards and broken box offices records throughout New Zealand. Audiences have embraced the humour and warmth of Krishnan’s Dairy (a love story set in a corner shop), The Candlestickmaker (black holes and the formula for happiness collide when a NZ Indian student visits his ancestral home for the first time) and The Pickle King (Death checks into a hotel - a comedy about what is worth preserving and finding the courage to love).

Seasons regularly sell out before opening. Jacob Rajan appears in each show and will face the challenge not just of multiple roles but also of multiple plays.

An equally great task is faced by the backstage and technical team who must turn the lights, set and sound around in time frames that are unheard of in local theatre practice.

The original casts are reuniting for this season. Ben Wilcock is taking a break from his real job playing piano in a London hotel to reprise his role as Graham, the resident piano player in The Pickle King’s Empire Hotel.

Our favourite immigrant Ansuya Nathan is returning from Sydney and her work there at the Old Fitzroy Theatre. Weta Workshops have kindly given permission for Nick Blake to unplug the electrodes and don the fat suit to tread the boards once again as the infamous George Reaper.

Indian Ink’s work is familiar to many people and audiences continue to grow. Our most recent venture - a return tour of Krishnan’s Dairy to New Plymouth, Napier, Christchurch and other provincial centres sold out. Building on this enormous audience support, Indian Ink has developed a unique and sustainable business model that allows us to present seasons such as this one without public subsidy.

Indian Ink recently returned from The Asian Arts Market in Singapore, where their work was very well received, and subsequently the company got offers from Hungary, Canada and Australia. In November Indian Ink will go back to Singapore to do a season of The Candlestickmaker. Earlier this year, the BBC recorded a radio adaptation of The Pickle King with well known UK actors including Mina Anwar. In late July Victoria University Press will be releasing all three plays in one publication titled Indian Ink (press copies available on request). Jacob and Justin continue to work on their adaptation of Krishnan’s Dairy into a film script.

The upcoming seasons of the trilogy will be a unique opportunity to view Indian Ink’s works alongside one another in a format that has not been attempted in recent New Zealand theatre history.

“a piece of total theatre which offers humanity and psychological insight in a package of good plain laughs, luminous performances and brilliant staging.” The Dominion Post

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