Indian Ink Theatre Company heads back to the old theatrical traditions and journeys to modern India with its latest play blending a traditional Indian folk tale with live music, puppetry and a story of love, loss, hope and tragedy.

Set against a backdrop of modern India, The Guru of Chai features theatrical magician and award-winning actor Jacob Rajan as he brings to life a delicious brew of colourful characters from a poor young girl with a heavenly voice, a shady thug, an ambitious policeman to a desirable stuffed parrot and of course the guru with his dubious talents.

The Guru of Chai is Indian Ink’s newest play and bubbles with the magical flavours of previous sell-out seasons of Krishnan’s Dairy, The Candlestickmaker and The Pickle King.

Director and co-writer Justin Lewis says The Guru of Chai has its roots in a traditional Indian folk tale, but was further inspired by a recent trip to Bali to study Balinese mask.

In the play, a young girl is abandoned at an Indian railway station and brings the place to a standstill with the beauty of her singing. An honest young policeman falls hopelessly in love with her but is rejected in favour of a disreputable poet.

For Jacob Rajan, who co-wrote the play with Justin, the challenge is keeping alive dozens of different characters, slipping between each with just a change of voice and expression.

“At one time I have more than 10 characters on stage at the same time and I need to keep them all alive for the audience. It’s a challenge I enjoy.”

Jacob is supported on stage by musician Dave Ward.

The Guru of Chai will have its theatre debuts later this year, but has been developed to be staged in almost any space and is playing in the most intimate of settings – private lounge rooms – from this month. For more information on booking your own private theatre season of The Guru of Chai, visit www.indianink.co.nz.