Not many one-actor plays are strong enough to captivate the audience. But if there is one such play that I can recommend, then it would be The Elephant Wrestler by Indian Ink Theatre Company (New Zealand).
Recently, The Cultch and Diwali Fest partnered to present the Canadian premiere of the award-winning The Elephant Wrestler at The Historic Theatre. Inspired by a traditional Indian fairy tale, the play follows a poor tea-seller as he attempts to solve the interwoven mysteries of true love, tragedy, and joy.
A poor chai-wallah (tea seller) has his life changed forever when a young girl is abandoned at a busy railway station and brings the place to a standstill with the beauty of her singing.
Writer-actor Jacob Rajan’s acting skills manage to evoke emotions of laughter, joy, sadness and pain as he flawlessly enacts 17 characters through voice modulations and accents. The comical element in the play needs special mentioning as it is introduced throughout the play in a subtle yet interactive manner. The romantic thriller is engaging and as it reaches the climax, it almost has you on the edge of your seat. You will be surprised by the unexpected twist at the end of the play – which completely changes the meaning and purpose of the story. As expected The Elephant Wrestler is an interesting tale that captures the moods and magic of India.
The Elephant Wrestler is gripping and deserves a standing ovation.
Visit diwalifest.ca for a detailed list of all the events.
