Take a wild ride to paradise with this new play by Indian Ink! This glorious production is inspired by Ernest Becker’s Pulitzer prize-winning Denial of Death, and the vibrant, life–filled chaos of India’s most cosmopolitan city, Mumbai. Jacob Rajan delivers a dazzling solo performance as he channels seven characters, weaving the afterlife and a dash of Bollywood disco into the real-life mystery of India’s vanishing vultures. A man trying desperately to avoid death is flung between limbo and his past, where a rebellious young woman holds the key that may guide him to paradise. Infused with serious laughter, exquisite puppetry, and inspired sound design, this show is guaranteed to blow your mind and melt your heart.

80 minutes 
Recommended for ages 11+

This show was inspired by Ernest Becker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Denial of Death, but it really found its form when Jacob and I were in Mumbai. There we discovered a city full of life, rich with diverse cultures, and we learned of the plight of India’s vultures. My view of vultures was formed by my western culture. I dismissed them as harbingers of death, brutishly ugly and to be feared. What I discovered was a creature whose most repulsive features are entirely functional, that does mankind an incredible service by cleansing the environment and in flight is one of the most magnificent birds on earth. Becker argues that culture is designed to protect us from the reality of our mortality and, in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, there’s a practice of meditating each day on your death. Strange ideas, but maybe by contemplating our mortality we can appreciate life more fully. Like the vulture, there is beauty to be found in the things we fear. Nobody noticed the disappearance of India’s vultures until it was too late. It’s the fastest extinction of all time, and I feel great sorrow at the loss of these wonderful birds. But I find hope in the way people from around the world are working to save them. Humans achieve incredible things through cooperation. That’s one of the reasons I love theatre — it’s a collaborative art form. So, as we gather together in the theatre tonight, I am enormously grateful. In the words of Joni Mitchell “don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.” Enjoy the show. —Justin Lewis, Writer/Director

It’s funny to think that we started this company based on a love of masks. It was such a niche thing back then. Who’d have thought that masks would become so popular? 

In those early years, I suffered from such an imposter syndrome that I would often use the programme notes to apologize in advance for causing offence. As a playwright, I’m necessarily led by my curiosity. I’m curious about things I don’t know about, and then I research and write about them as if I do. Which, of course, I don’t. Not really. 

My apology on this occasion is to the Parsi community. If you haven’t heard of them, you’re not alone, but I can almost guarantee that you’ve been influenced by at least one. Parsis have made an enormous contribution to India and the world. In politics, industry, medicine, finance, science, music, art and theatre, this ethnic group has been extraordinarily influential out of all proportion to their numbers. 

The eclectic bunch of Parsis portrayed in this play are entirely fictional, and I hope cause no offence to a people I hold in extremely high regard. 

If you’re reading this and happen to be Parsi, I cling to one generalization about your kin I dearly wish to be true: they have a great sense of humour. 

Thanks for coming. I hope you enjoy the show.

—Jacob Rajan, writer/performer

Writer/Actor: Jacob Rajan
Writer/Director: Justin Lewis
Dramaturge: Murray Edmond
Set Design: John Verryt
Costume Design: Elizabeth Whiting
Puppet Design/Build/Puppeteer: Jon Coddington
Composer & Sound Design: David Ward
Lighting Design/Production/Stage Manager: D. Andrew Potvin
Sound Operator: Adam Ogle
Projected Imagery Photographer/Editor: Bala Murali Shingade

General Manager: Jude Froude
Producer: Pene Lister
Development Manager: Naomi Campion
Next Gen Programme Leader: Te Huamanuka Luiten-Apirana
Digital Marketer: Olivia Brinkmann

Julia Lank (she/her) is a stage manager and graphic designer. She’s so happy to return to How To Believe in a whole new format. Selected SM: Don Pasquale, Le Portrait De Manon (Vancouver Opera); Gertrude and Alice (United Players), [title of show] (Play On Words), How To Believe In Anything (Vancouver Fringe); Marjorie Prime (ETC); Gramma, The Cake (Pacific Theatre); Alice In Glitterland (Geekenders); City Of Angels (PIT Collective); Putnam County Spelling Bee, Jasper In Deadland, Tuck Everlasting (Arts Umbrella).

Christopher Lam 林子榮 is a director/actor/ and playwright who is based on unceded and ancestral territory of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh speaking peoples, the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, which Vancouver is located on. As director some of his work which was last seen include Canadian premieres of Stiles and Drewe’s 3 Little Pigs (Carousel Theatre); The Nether (Firehall Arts Centre); Girlfriend (Fighting Chance Productions); Amélie (West Moon Theatre); world Premieres of How to Believe in Anything (Dreamphase Productions) which won the Cultchivating the Fringe Award and will be presenting a new digital hybrid in 2024; Big Queer Filipino Karaoke Night! (Revolver Festival); and Frankenstein: Lost in Darkness (Pacific Theatre) to name a few. He was the assistant director on the new translation of Grand Magic directed by Antoni Cimolino at the Stratford Festival. He has been avidly performing as well, his credits include A Prayer for Owen Meany (Ensemble Theatre Company) and 100 Saints You Should Know (Pacific Theatre) both of which he was nominated for the Jessie Awards for best performance for an actor in leading and supporting actor roles. He has performed and worked with Arts Club Theatre, Gateway Theatre, Pacific Theatre, Ruby Slippers Theatre, Firehall Arts Centre, United Players, Carousel Theatre, Rumble Theatre and Ensemble Theatre Company, and Musical Stage Co. His plays have been workshopped with the following companies: Andre and Xavier bb for the First Time (The Frank Theatre) which had a public presentation at Q2Q Queer Theatre Symposium and Shanghai Black Beer was workshopped with VACT. During the pandemic, he conceived and devised a digital play with the students of Studio 58 entitled I, Myself, Am Strange and Unusual. He is a graduate of Douglas College in Fine Arts and Capilano University in Performance Studies. He is also the recipient of the Ray Michal Award for an Emerging Director, Jean Gascon Award for direction, Ovation Award and CTC for best direction. Find out more: thechrislamshow.com

 Ariel Slack is a theatre artist. Recent design credits: assistant set/costume design, Much Ado About Nothing (Stratford Festival); assistant set design, Love’s Labours Lost (Stratford Festival); Set, Stiles and Drewe’s The Three Little Pigs (Carousel Theatre, Ovation Awards winner for outstanding set design); assistant set/costume designer, Richard III (Stratford Festival); Set, The Pillowman (Untold Wants); Set, Amphitruo (United Players); Set, Mx (Off the Corner Productions/The Cultch); Set, Spine (Backbone Theatre Collective) Set, Cariboo Magi (Far From The Tree Productions); Set, Dancing Lessons (Naked Goddess Productions); Set, Alice in Glitterland (Geekenders); Set/Scenic Paint, Superior Donuts (Ensemble Theatre Company, Jessie Nomination); Props, Best of Enemies, Gramma, Mother of the Maid (co-props), The Cake, Jesus Freak (Pacific Theatre). Upcoming: Assistant set/costume designer, The Diviners (Stratford Festival). Studio 58 Graduate (2018). Website: www.arielslack.squarespace.com

Matthias Falvai is a Canadian-Hungarian artist from Nanaimo, BC. Raised in a refugee home, hard work and ambition were instilled at a young age, thus fueling his relentless creativity into his passion for storytelling. Completing his BBA in four years at Vancouver Island University on the Dean’s List, Matthias promptly moved to Vancouver to pursue his music career. It was here rehearsing with local Vancouver acts, that he was accepted into Studio 58’s Acting Program. Matthias performed in six main stage shows and received praise in his acting, writing, and sound designing capabilities, receiving the Anthony Holland Award and the Studio 58 Writing Award for his first fully-produced play, Freedom ’56. Now, a Theatre Artist Graduate, Matthias’s design work has spread throughout Vancouver, including an Off-Broadway Credit in New York City. A once in a lifetime opportunity has taken Matthias to Budapest, attending the Balassi Balint Hungarian Culture and Language Studies Program on a full scholarship. His next project Husk (Musica Intima) alongside co-writer, Joelysa Pankanea, explores choral music and transhumanism, production in April. matthiasfalvai.com @matthiasfalvai

Jonathan Kim, better known as Jono, is a Korean-Canadian artist born and raised on unceded traditional Coast Salish territories, who currently works and lives on Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh territories (Vancouver, BC). He holds a BFA degree in Theatre Production and Design from Simon Fraser University. Recent credits: The Wrong Bashir (Touchstone Theatre); My Little Tomato (vAct & Zee Zee Theatre); Happy Valley (rice & beans theatre); God Said This (Pacific Theatre); Bright Half Life (Persephone Theatre); Empire of the Son (Pacific Theatre); Peace Country (rice & beans theatre); How Black Mothers Say I Love You (the frank theatre company); Zahak, The Serpent King (The Biting School); Into the Woods (Studio 58).

Shanae Sodhi (He/Him) is a graduate of Studio 58 where he was one of the establishing members and Head Organizer of the school’s Student Diversity Committee, a student lead group which works to give strength to marginalized groups within the theatre community by empowering students with the tools and knowledge to engage the conversations of inclusivity around them. He aims to create work that is community oriented and bridges performance with direct action activism. Recent producing credits include: associate producer on The First Stone (New Harlem Productions), producer on Catalina La O: Ahora Conmigo (winner of the 2020 Fringe New Play Prize) and Mx by Lili Robinson (winner of the 2019 Fringe New Play Prize and Cultchivating the Fringe Award).

The artistic partnership of Jacob Rajan and Justin Lewis is now comfortably in its second decade. Inspired by a love of mask and story they continue to pursue their idea of the ‘Serious Laugh’—opening mouths with laughter to slip serious ideas in. With a series of remarkable productions of intimate scale that blend western theatrical traditions with eastern flavours they’ve shaped Indian Ink to become one of New Zealand’s most successful theatre companies —13 national and international awards, significant critical acclaim, standing ovations and sell out seasons in New Zealand and overseas. Since 1997 over 510,000 people have had their lives enriched by these original plays. The aim is to leave an indelible imprint on your heart; that’s why they’re called Indian Ink.

Indian Ink Theatre Company wishes to thank all our incredible Patrons, Funders, and Supporters without whom the show could not go on.

Patrons
Addington Law, Adele Mason, Ainsley Walter & Mark Stewart, Anne & John MacVicar, Andrea Crichton, Anne Coney, Barbara Netten, Barry Gribben & Laila Harré, Brian & Andrea Steele, Brian & Gill Walker, Catherine Atchison, Chrissie Fernyhough (Fernyhough Education Trust), Craig Anderson & Hanna Scott, David Lowe, Deborah & Ross George, Gail & Stephen Hofmann, Garth Cumberland, Geoff & Bev Pownall, Georgie Knight, Graeme Edwards & Di Le Cren, Graham Howie, Helen Klisser During, Helen Moody & Jeremy Edwards, Ivan & Felicity Willis, Jane Cherrington, Jasvinder Singh & Bryce Keith, Jeffrey & Lancely Law, Jenny & Andrew Smith, Jenny & Ray McElroy, Jill Oakley, John Judge & Janet Clarke, John & Jo Gow, Karen Fraser & Mike Scully, Kate & Hanlin Johnstone, Malcolm Don (Fernyhough Education Trust), Margaret Lee, Mike Rudd, Nancie Plested, Pippa MacKay & Paul Stanley-Joblin, Ranjna & Kanti Patel, Ravi & Prabha Ravi, Rebecca Turner, Richard & Susie Rowntree, Ros & Philip Burdon, Simon & Bridget Tompkins, Sir Roderick & Lady Gillian Deane, Sondra Wigglesworth, Tom Kuruvilla, Valmai Shearer

Advisory Board
Ranjna Patel (Chair), Craig Anderson, Helen Klisser During and Sawat T Ebbett, Liz Miller

Indian Ink Trust
Craig Anderson (Chair), Jacob Rajan, and Justin Lewis

Thanks to:
Sam Mence, Creative Ambiance Stage Technologies, Isaac, Dominic & Nina Rajan, Philippa Woods and Rachel Nash.

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