By: Matthew Roderick

Indian Ink’s return to the stage at the Addison Theatre, Baycourt Tauranga, with Balloon Dog, is outstanding in every sense of the word. Renowned for their distinctive blend of storytelling, physical theatre, music and humour, the company once again demonstrates why they remain one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most celebrated theatre-makers.
Drawing inspiration from the classic Bengali story Kabuliwala by Rabindranath Tagore, yet firmly rooted in twenty-first-century Auckland, Balloon Dog explores the life of migrant worker Kabir and a small family centred around a five-year-old girl who forms an unexpected friendship with him. What unfolds is a fun, endearing and deeply thought-provoking story about connection, belonging, family and the distances that separate us.

The theatrical devices employed by director and co-writer Justin Lewis, combined with the exquisite yet deceptively simple choreography of Jude Froude, create a rich theatrical language that effortlessly draws the audience into the world of the play. The music, performed live onstage by composer David Ward, becomes far more than accompaniment. Ward is an active storyteller, shaping mood, place and memory while seamlessly weaving music and foley into the action.
As always, Jacob Rajan proves himself a tour de force onstage. Joined by fellow Toi Whakaari alumni Alisha Jacob and Jehangir Homavazir, the trio bring extraordinary warmth, skill, humour and wairua to their performances. Homavazir’s portrayal of Kabir is particularly compelling. To this reviewer’s ear, his Gujarati accent rings true and grounds the character in a reality that feels lived rather than performed.

Nowhere is the company’s artistry more evident than in their portrayal of Minnie, the five-year-old daughter and granddaughter at the heart of the story. Remarkably, Minnie is never physically seen. Instead, she is brought to life through a remarkable feat of ensemble performance. When Minnie speaks, Rajan, Jacob and Homavazir vocalise her words in perfect unity. Every breath, pause, sentence and subtle inflection appears completely synchronised. The effect is nothing short of breathtaking. Through this extraordinary precision, an unseen character becomes vividly real. While the three performers carry the majority of Minnie’s presence, Ward’s live musical and foley contributions add further texture and depth, helping to realise a character who never appears physically yet remains constantly present in the audience’s imagination.

Kabir’s story also carries some of the play’s most important questions. The exploitation, uncertainty, isolation and vulnerability he experiences are not simply theatrical inventions; they reflect challenges faced by many migrant workers across Aotearoa New Zealand. Too often these realities remain largely invisible to those not directly affected.

What makes Balloon Dog so effective is that it never lectures. Instead, it encourages empathy. The impact of that approach was evident after the performance, when this reviewer overheard one patron explaining Kabir’s circumstances and exploitation by his so-called employer to the person who appeared to be their ride home. The conversation had already begun. The audience was still wrestling with the story after the curtain call.

And perhaps that is the play’s most confronting question: when we witness the exploitation of fellow human beings happening right under our noses, do we step in — or do we simply look away?

Equally heartening is the audience response. Performing to a near-capacity house, Balloon Dog generates a level of engagement that many theatre-makers dream of. Particularly encouraging is the presence of a large group of young people whose enthusiasm proves infectious throughout the evening. Their audible reactions – gasps, laughter, murmurs of recognition and spontaneous responses to moments of humour and tension – never feel disruptive. Instead, they reflect a genuine investment in the story unfolding before them.
What is especially striking is how that energy ripples through the wider audience. Other patrons soon find themselves laughing louder, reacting more openly and sharing in the collective experience. The result is an atmosphere of communal storytelling that feels entirely in keeping with Indian Ink’s theatrical style.

It is deeply encouraging to witness such engagement from young audience members and others who may not always have the opportunity to experience live professional theatre. In an era when arts organisations are constantly competing for attention, seeing a diverse audience so thoroughly captivated by a New Zealand production is a powerful reminder that local stories still matter. More importantly, it demonstrates that New Zealand voices, diverse, distinctive and reflective of our many communities, continue to resonate across generations.
Indian Ink has long excelled at transforming simple theatrical devices into something magical and Balloon Dog is no exception. Filled with humour, humanity and heart, it is a reminder of theatre’s unique ability to make us laugh, reflect and connect with lives beyond our own experience.

Balloon Dog returns to Baycourt for another performance on Friday before continuing its journey to Auckland’s Q Theatre and then the Sydney Opera House. On the strength of this production, audiences in both cities are in for a treat.
A triumphant return from one of New Zealand’s finest theatre companies.