Following acclaimed seasons in Virginia, St Louis, Los Angeles, Nashville, Sydney and most recently Singapore, the charming chai-wallah Kutiser returns to New Zealand as Guru of Chai tours to Tauranga, Taupo, Gisborne and Auckland from May 2011.
Premiering in 2010 Guru of Chai features Jacob Rajan (celebrated actor and writer),pictured, and musician David Ward (award winning composer).
Co-writer and director Justin Lewis describes the work as blending western theatrical traditions with eastern flavours. Making the most Jacob Rajan's unparalleled ability to switch seamlessly between multiple characters, the play cuts quickly between scenes, creating a heightened sense of drama and excitement. The award-winning storyteller and actor keeps the audience entranced as he becomes 7 sisters, a policeman, a poet, a series of gangsters and a poor chai-wallah in this heartbreakingly beautiful, yet outrageously funny story of love, loss and enlightenment.
The chai-wallah is the storyteller. Kutisar (the chai-wallah) is one of Rajan's favourite characters: "He's actually based on a mask-dancer that Justin and I met in Bali. A man steeped in the spirituality of mask-dance, but with a weakness for beer and cock-fighting, and yet desperate to have a Facebook page - he literally danced into our lives, and onto the pages of this play as a fully formed character".
Guru of Chai has also enchanted international audiences since its American 2011 debut in Los Angeles; receiving high praise from audiences calling it "the best show in 10 years" and overwhelming describing it as "Brilliant", "Clever", "Entertaining" and "Fun".
