Andrew Ford
Performer - George, Raoul, Father Matthews, Quince
See the other featurettes in The Pickle King series here
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.
The all-inclusive fee for this wonderul and unforgettable experience is only NZ$6,500 including GST.
This play features heart-breaking hilarity and uplifting sorrow in one breath Madelaine Empso, Regional News. 30 August 2017
The Pickle King remains both politically cutting edge and theatrically spectacular Aimee Smith, Art Murmurs. 27 August 2017
a bright beacon of excellence in our local theatre landscape John Smythe, Theatreview. 25 August 2017
Performer - George, Raoul, Father Matthews, Quince
Andrew is a graduate of the Unitec School of Performing & Screen Arts (Bachelor of Performing & Screen Arts).
His theatre credits include Design for Living (Auckland Theatre Company); Peter Pan, Le Sud, The Ladykillers, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz & Robin Hood (Court Theatre); Shop ‘Til You Drop (Centrepoint Theatre); Stag Weekend (Court Theatre & Centrepoint Theatre); The History Boys (Peach Theatre Company); and Earnest (Fractious Tash). Last year he toured the country in The Complete History of the Royal New Zealand Navy (Abridged) as part of the Navy’s 75th anniversary celebrations.
His television credits include Shortland Street and Super City (Series 2).
2017 marks Andrew’s debut performance with Indian Ink Theatre Company in The Pickle King.
Performer - Sasha, Henrietta
Kalyani Nagarajan is a graduate of Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School. She has worked extensively on stage with companies such as Auckland Theatre Company, Indian Ink, Agaram Productions and Auckland Live. Her most recent works include Auckland Theatre Company’s, The Master Builder and the Indian Ink’s international tour of Mrs Krishnan’s Party. Nagarajan is currently starring in Pax Assadi’s latest television series, Raised by Refugees. She has worked with master tutor Philippe Gaulier in France, where she studied clown, mask and melodrama. She has guest lectured at several North American universities, including Virginia Tech, The University of Utah, The University of Seattle and The University of Richmond. Nagarajan has created her own yearlong acting courses at The Performing Arts Centre and has a passion for comedy and character work. She has been a voice-over artist for shows such as The Tales of Nai Nai and is a part of the Snort improv troupe. Nagarajan has received a grant with POP film Ltd to create her latest feature film and is reorienting herself to become a director/writer in the screen industry.
Performer - Jeena, Henry, Ammachy
Performer
A recent graduate of Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School, Vanessa’s previous roles include: Sue Lewis in The Battalion directed by Jim Moriarty (Te Rakau). Celia in As You Like It directed by Lisa Warrington. Mother, Lost boy and Pirate in Peter Pan directed by Daniel Pengelly (The Court Theatre).
Vanessa’s debut with Indian Ink was in 2015 & 2016 with her outstanding performance in The Elephant Thief.
Performer - Graham
Writer & Director
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.
Writer
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.
Production & Touring Manager
Andrew is the Director of Andrew Potvin Designs Ltd, specialising in tour and production management, ticketing and lighting design. He has a live events portfolio spanning eighteen years across the globe, from his native United State of America to his adopted homeland of New Zealand. He is thrilled to be in his 6th year collaborating with Indian Ink Theatre Company.
Andrew’s New Zealand career began in Auckland as Technical Manager of the Basement Theatre. He has since gone on to work with companies such as iTICKET, PANNZ (Performing Arts Network of New Zealand/Tour-Makers) Q Theatre, Amici Productions and Auckland Theatre Company.
With Tour-Makers (Producer – Technical & Logistics) he has co-produced national tours of That Bloody Woman, The White Guitar, Anzac Eve, As Night Falls, Triumphs and Other Alternatives, The Book of Everything, Modern Maori Quartet, Daffodils, Live Live Cinema’s Little Shop of Horrors and The Mooncake and the Kumara. With Indian Ink Theatre Company he has tour managed productions of The Pickle King, Mrs Krishnan’s Party and Paradise or the Impermanence of Ice Cream.
Andrew is a member of Entertainment Venues Association of New Zealand, Entertainment Technology New Zealand and Musical Theatre New Zealand.
Lighting Designer
Jo Kilgour is an Auckland-based Technical Director & Lighting Designer with extensive touring and festival experience.
Set & Costume Designer
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.
Music Director
Music Composer
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.
Having found something good, there is a temptation to want to preserve it forever. However, the act of preserving something also changes it unalterably. We’ve tried to add new ingredients to each of our shows, to make them fresh each time. Now, as we draw towards the completion of The Pickle King, I sometimes find myself struggling with a desire to bottle what has been a wonderful partnership.
In the time I have been working with Jacob, we have made three productions that have been successful beyond anything I ever imagined. We have toured nationally and internationally, ended up living with our partners and have had children. It has been, quite literally, a very fertile time. I feel very privileged to have worked with Jacob and the other wonderful people who have contributed so much to Indian Ink. I count many as my firm friends.
The figure of Death first appeared to us when studying the commedia dell’arte in Italy. Death is a stock character in the commedia; ever present in daily life, but always outwitted at the last gasp by the comic zanni (crazy servants). In these times of refrigeration and irradiated food we often try to pretend he is not there. We use medicine, science, cosmetics, diets, exercise regimes, work, and ever increasing wealth to keep him at bay. But he is as present as ever and working on this show I have come to believe that we lose sight of him at our peril – he reminds us what is truly worth preserving.
The story goes that 200 years ago there was a Maharajah, a King, whose daughter suffered a terrible illness during the course of which she went blind. The royal physicians were powerless to help her so the maharajah sent word throughout the kingdom of his daughter’s illness in the hope that a cure might be found. Doctors and holy men came from near and far. Month after month potions were made, incantations were muttered but none could help the girl. Finally, when it seemed that there was nothing more that could be done a doctor named Kaliyilal, from a far away village, came to the palace. He sought permission to treat the princess. Kaliyilal applied a poultice to the girl’s eyes. He asked that the bandage remain in place throughout the night. In the morning when the poultice was removed the princess could see. The maharajah was overjoyed. Kaliyilal was showered with gifts, gold and land. What’s more, to ensure that Kaliyilal’s knowledge was passed on, it was decreed that his descendants would never pay taxes as long as they were doctors. And for 200 years, even though the tax exemption has lapsed, there has always been a doctor in the Kaliyilal line.
I’m a descendant of that line. I never made it to medical school but this piece of family history infuses this play like garlic and chilli flavour cold pressed oil. I dedicate The Pickle King to the memory of my father, Dr Kaliyilal Luke Rajan.
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