By: Cate Prestidge

Indian Ink has carved out a formidable reputation over nearly 30 years, bringing ambitious and sophisticated work to the stage.

Their performances are carefully crafted from the ground up, with time taken for scriptwriting, work-shopping characters, movement, music and set design.

Their latest show, Balloon Dog, was inspired by Kabuliwala, a short work by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.

It tells the story of a small, talkative girl, Mini, who befriends a stranger, and the wider relationships that grow from this encounter.

Indian Ink founders Jacob Rajan and Justin Lewis have reimagined the story for a modern New Zealand setting, with newly arrived migrant worker Kabir (Jehangir Homavazir).

Passing by the house, Kabir meets Mini and, through her, her grandfather, retired architect Ravi (Jacob Rajan).

Ravi is successful and somewhat self-absorbed. He shares his comfortable home with his daughter Sara (Alisha Jacob) and Mini, but his art studio takes priority.

His slightly pompous manner contrasts with his busy, practical daughter, who is juggling work with raising Mini on her own.

The show is both deceptively simple and wildly ambitious.

It reveals more and more as it unfolds, prompting the audience to think deeply about humanity, and how they might react to a stranger in their midst.

Homavazir is simply magic as the kind, funny and lonely Kabir.

He is so likeable and positive that we root for him immediately, even more so as his difficulties gradually emerge.

Rajan is excellent as Ravi, nipping about the stage and occasionally pontificating.

His well-worn arguments with Sara make the family dynamic relatable.

Their relationship appears functional on the surface, but moments of affection and support shine through.

It’s an impressive Indian Ink debut for Jacob, who shifts skilfully as her character undergoes a number of changes.

The stagecraft is wonderful.

Each character wears a small mask in the form of oversized teeth and moves with subtle, consistent physicality.

Mini is created collaboratively through the actors and with music from David Ward, though the production still holds a few surprises.

Composer and musician Ward becomes another character on stage, and his interplay with the cast is excellent.

The music and sound effects enrich the action throughout.

John Verryt’s set is deceptively simple and beautiful, allowing actors to pass through and transform the space with ease.

Meticulous shadow play and beautifully choreographed transitions are performed with care.

I was particularly struck by a wonderful dinner party scene that uses levels and clever movement to bring the evening vividly to life.

All the elements come together in ways that feel deliberate and thoughtful.

The company expects intelligence from its audience and asks challenging questions of them.

In the current climate in Aotearoa, where political rhetoric around immigration is ramping up in depressingly predictable ways, this play offers a simple and deeply human story.

It’s the best theatre I’ve seen in years.