Paradise or the Impermanence of Ice Cream is the latest production from the Indian Ink Theatre Company, and it is exquisite.
In some ways it is a simple story of a man trying to make sense of his life and trying to either avoid death or come to terms with it. Set in Mumbai, New Zealand, and a kind limbo, the lead character Kutisar relives his past to try and gain understanding of where he finds himself in the present.
What makes this play remarkable is that it has seven characters in it, and are all played by one man, Jacob Rajan.
Rajan is a gifted actor, and it is fascinating watching him transform fluidly and flawlessly into seven different characters. The roles span gender and age, yet each has their own characteristics, voice, and personality. Rajan brings a beguiling touch to them all, be it a rapacious moneylender, a rambunctious dowager, or the naive but well-intentioned leading man Kutisar.
I said there were seven characters, but in fact there is another one – a puppet vulture that is operated so well by puppet master Jon Coddington, one forgets there is a human being controlling it.
Paradise or the Impermanence of Ice Cream pays cheeky homage to Bollywood and pokes fun at some Indian traditions and customs, but it is all done in such a charming way that it is thought provoking rather than offensive.
This is a touching, witty production about love, loss and the search for redemption that draws the audience into to the bigger questions about life without being overwhelming.
PARADISE OR THE IMPERMANENCE OF ICE CREAM
Auckland
9 – 27 June 2021
Other NZ cities
2 July – 1 September 2021
