Jacob Rajan
Writer & Performer (and co-composer)
Ordinary people legendary love
Written By Jacob Rajan
Take a look behind the counter of the corner dairy and discover a love story as wondrous as the Taj Mahal.
Gobi and Zina Krishnan have come to New Zealand in search of a better life. They keep their dreams stacked on the shelf of their suburban dairy but now Zina wants to go back to India.
Jacob Rajan charms and thrills as he juggles multiple characters in a career defining performance that shows why he’s won multiple best actor awards.
Laughter, live music and exquisite masks make this a magical evening like no other.
Winner of the prestigious Edinburgh Fringe First Award along with two Production of the Year Awards in New Zealand, this iconic play is loved by people of all ages.
“A piece of absolute enchantment” – The Scotsman
“Comic genius” – Melbourne Age
“A ground-breaking work: it changes the way you see the world.” – The Listener
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Private Show Information
What do you get?
The Company brings lighting, set, costumes, and props to your selected venue (e.g. home or office) to create a truly magical occasion for your invited audience. There is no limit to the number of guests you can invite - as long as there's enough space for them and the performers. The Artists are Arts Laureate Jacob Rajan and talented young musician Adam Ogle, supported by our stage manager who will ensure that all technical and production elements happen without a hiccup. The performance lasts 80 minutes and as an added bonus, if you wish it, Jacob is happy to chat with your guests after the show.
What does it cost?
The all-inclusive fee for this wonderul and unforgettable experience is only NZ$6,500 including GST.
Gallery
What's Been Said
Comic genius... a tour de force from a master of multicultural mayhem. Melbourne Age
A small gem of theatre... similarly charmed the audience... Singapore Straits Times
Krishnan's Dairy... is cute, sentimental, large-spirited, beautifully performed, utterly touching Financial Times, Edinburgh
Cast & Crew
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Jacob Rajan
Company Director, Writer & Performer
Jacob is an Arts Foundation Laureate and founding partner of Indian Ink. He collaborated to create Krishnan’s Dairy, The Candlestickmaker, The Pickle King, The Dentist’s Chair, The Guru of Chai and Kiss the Fish and has performed them throughout New Zealand and internationally.
Jacob won “Best Actor” in the 2010 Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards for ‘The Guru of Chai’. He has also received an accolade for acting excellence and was nominated for the Stage Award for Best Actor at the Edinburgh Fringe. Jacob has featured on New Zealand TV series (Outrageous Fortune and Shortland Street). In 2013 Jacob was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) in the New Year’s Honours List.
Jacob’s family originates in Kerala, Southern India. He was born in Malaysia and immigrated to New Zealand at the age of four. Jacob has a degree in microbiology, a teacher’s diploma and is a graduate of Toi Whakaari – The New Zealand Drama School.
Adam Ogle
Musician
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Adam Ogle
Musician
Adam Ogle is a guitarist, multi-instrumentalist and composer. He has worked with Whangarei-based theatre company Company of Giants on The Owl and the Pussycat and the Whangarei Festival of Light and Art, Auckland Theatre Company on Giant Teeth, in the Young and Hungry Festival on Uncle Minotaur and with Smoke Labours Productions on Stutterpop. He has also taught guitar and mandolin at the Whangarei Celtic Summer School ‘Gaidhealtachd’ and taught and performed at the Auckland Folk Festival. He received the ‘Frank Winter Memorial Award’ awarded for his outstanding contribution as a young instrumentalist.
Cathy Knowsley
Technical and Stage Manager - Lighting Design
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Cathy Knowsley
Lighting Designer / Technical Manager
Cathy has over 20 year’s experience in theatre production and touring. She first joined the Indian Ink team in1998 and when not on tour with Indian Ink specialises in event management and health and safety with her company HiViz Event Management.
Justin Lewis
Director
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Justin Lewis
Company Director, Writer & Artistic Director
Justin is a founding partner of Indian Ink and collaborated with Jacob Rajan to create the company’s works: Krishnan’s Dairy, The Candlestickmaker, The Pickle King, The Dentist’s Chair, Guru of Chai and Kiss the Fish. Indian Ink’s productions have won numerous awards including two Edinburgh Fringe First Awards and Three production of the Year Awards in New Zealand. Justin has produced numerous national and international tours. He is Deputy Chair of Q Theatre and has been heavily involved in its development from the beginning. In 2008 he received a Kaupapa Oranga Award for his services to theatre. Justin is a graduate of the John Bolton Theatre School and University of Auckland.
Murray Edmond
Dramaturge
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Murray Edmond
Dramaturg
Murray has been dramaturg on all of Indian Ink’s productions. A poet and founder of Town and Country players (NZ), Murray has recently retired from his role as Professor of Drama at Auckland University where he headed the Drama course.
John Verryt
Set & Costume
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John Verryt
Set & Costume Design
John has worked on all of Indian Ink’s productions to date. With over 30 years experience he is one of New Zealand’s leading performance designers with an extensive portfolio of work including designs for NBR New Zealand Opera, Black Grace Dance Company, Douglas Wright and Auckland Theatre Company.
Conrad Wedde
Co-composer
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Conrad Wedde
Conrad Wedde is a self taught composer, who has been composing original music since his teenage years. He has playing in many rock bands and is currently a member of The Phoenix Foundation. Conrad has composed for film, documentary, dance, and multi-media projects.
The short film merci shimeree, tendre shimeree was awarded best original score in the 1999 Divas, his work on the theatre production Shudder was nominated for Sound designer of the Year at the 2000 Chapman Tripp Awards, and the documentary A Tale of Three Chimps won a certificate for creative excellence in the 2000 USA and World Film and Video Awards. Conrad runs WKDS Productions, which encompasses a recording studio and film and video production house in Central Wellington. Conrad composed some of the music as well as performing in Krishnan’s Dairy.
Inkspiration
- Justin's notes
- Jacob's notes
The corner shop, drug store or Seven Eleven is an international phenomenon that contains elements universal to all cultures and also specific to the country or city in which they are found. We call them the ‘dairy’ and they sell all manner of goods from light bulbs to meat pies, chewing gum to stockings and of course milk, bread and ice cream. The ‘dairy’ is a much loved institution; part of our history, open all hours and often owned and run by immigrant families.
In recent years it is also an institution under threat from the supermarkets and 24-hour petrol stations that undercut it in price and convenience. BP Express, Caltex Star Shops, Foodtown, Big Fresh and New World supermarkets are supplanting the corner dairy in many places and small family businesses built up over many years of hard work are fast disappearing. With them goes a uniquely personal approach to free enterprise in our communities.
However something of the pioneering spirit that leads people to move country and start a new business with dreams of a better life for themselves and their children sees the best businesses evolve and develop their own niche markets in specialist goods or services. Krishnan’s Dairy salutes that spirit in whatever corner of the world people have chosen to set up their corner shop.
Being Indian carries with it certain responsibilities. Everyone expects you to be able to cook a curry, spin bowl and have a natural ability at yoga. As an Indian, you have the power to make an Indian restaurant authentic just by walking into it. And if you put three guys in a room with a snake you’d expect the Indian to have some kind of advantage.
Of course we can’t always live up to these responsibilities. I myself have been found wanting on more than one occasion. I have a woefully inadequate knowledge of Indian’s geography, average rainfall and chief exports. Most of my understanding of its religions and politics was gleaned from a project I did in 3rd Form Social Studies.
I guess what I’m saying patient reader, is take everything you see in Krishnan’s Dairy with a pinch of salt (and possibly a generous dollop of garlic and ginger paste). It’s certainly not my intention to recreate an authentic day in the life of an Indian Dairy owner. My allegiance lies with telling a good story and I’ve taken liberties with “my culture” to try and achieve this.
To my countrymen and women who take offence, I apologize. To those of you who crave authenticity – I guess you’ve got the wrong shop. Of course if you leave the show with better understanding of what it is to be an Indian in New Zealand I’m quite prepared to take credit for it; but I’d far rather you left forgetting where you’d parked your car.