By: Yvonne Milroy

Guru of Chai begins with the hilariously delivered comment that the Hamilton Arts Festival Toi Ora Ki Kirikiriroa Festival Director has disclosed that “my audience are all unhappy, their lives are meaningless.” Indian Ink Theatre Company is called upon to change that, and for 80 minutes concerns of real life are on the backburner as a portion of the Indian fairytale Punchkin is played out in the refurbished Pavilion at Hamilton Gardens.

The scene is immediately set with sights of Bengaluru (Bangalore) Train Station and a description of a cacophony of sounds from porters, hawkers, commuters, beggars, and the announcement guy (which becomes a running joke). Within moments, the audience is stowing their emotional baggage and begins an unforgettable ride thanks to an extraordinary performance by Jacob Rajan.

Rajan plays Kuitsar – a chai-wallah (teaseller) – and sixteen other characters including seven sisters, the station police officer, various husbands, three baddies and a 13-year-old boy. The sisters happen upon Kuitsar’s tea stall, and they start to earn a living by singing. Six of the sisters get married and settle down, and the story follows the life of the youngest, Balna.

Due to deft choreography and Rajan’s genius, it is possible to see four characters contemporaneously fighting. He manages to slip seamlessly between characters capturing their voices, postures and nuances. Later Rajan convincingly smokes a cigarette, is tall, short, old, young, pregnant. If all of that is not enough, Rajan proves to be a skillful magician, a dexterous shadow puppeteer, a dancer and possessor of a lovely singing voice.

Guru of Chai award-winning composer David Ward accompanies Rajan with instruments, vocals and extra sound effects including scrunching plastic that sounds more like rain than actual rain. Balna’s pretty musical motif is woven throughout and a ballad, lullaby and other songs transcend the barrier of language.

John Verryt’s static set design is visually appealing and as the play progresses proves to be clever and versatile. Together with the lighting design and well curated props, Rajan’s seventeen characters come to life during the storytelling of their lives, loves and losses. Rajan works the stage and occasionally breaks the fourth wall and reinforces his connection with the spellbound audience.

Primarily funny, the script has darker moments too. The Guru of Chai features twists and turns, and an unanticipated ending. Not only is it a modern-day retelling of Punchkin, but a commentary on the complexities of relationships, abandonment, and abduction. Laughter gives way to moments of being able to hear a pin drop, to gasps of shock and disappointment, and finally a standing ovation.

Thanks to Rajan and Ward, Guru of Chai is a unique, unpredictable and utterly captivating work of art.