Theatre review: Paradise or the Impermanence of Ice Cream, Q Theatre

Kutistar is one of the many characters portrayed by Jacob Rajan. Photo / Supplied

When the lights rise at the start of Paradise or the Impermanence of Ice Cream, the latest output from local company Indian Ink, Kutistar – a Harvey Norman salesman – is sprawled atop a rock, seemingly in limbo, unsure where he is and how he got there. When he tries to move away, he encounters a sensory overload, and discovers himself trapped in the small area surrounding his new abode.

Struggling to grasp his new circumstances, Kutistar is then confronted by a vulture eager to pick apart his flesh. It sparks a series of memories that take him back to 1980s Mumbai and a chance encounter with Meera, a Parsi woman who has just inherited an ice cream store and a mountain of debt.

What begins as a night of strange adventures blossoms into a friendship linked by mystery as the pair become embroiled in a scheme to revive the city's suddenly vanished vulture population.

It is a sprawling plot with a wider scope than many local plays, featuring a large cast of characters and locations that takes the audience on a journey through Mumbai and the many cultural and religious differences within the city.

Kutistar (Jacob Rajan) faces off with the vulture, operated by Jon Coddington. Photo / Supplied

Yet the miracle of Paradise is how it achieves this scope with only one actor. Asides from the vulture, Rajan portrays all seven characters featured in the play – including Kutistar's present and younger selves – all while remaining trapped within his character's personal purgatory space.

Paradise also gives him little to work with in a physical sense. John Verryt's set consists solely of the rock, which serves as bed, staircase, mortuary table and storage, set against a beautiful series of kaleidoscopic projected backgrounds that shift with every scene.

Yet Rajan rises to the occasion, taking the blank slate of the staging and creating a vibrant world largely on his own in what is one of the most extraordinary performances I have seen on an Auckland stage.

His subtly choreographed movements and ease with switching through characters brings to life Mumbai and the world of the play in a way few ensemble casts or heavily decorated sets could achieve.

Rajan fully realises every character he portrays, and seamlessly shifts between each one – posture shrinking when he inhibits Meera's elderly aunt Dr Rao, gestures changing between the older and younger Kutistar. It is a one-man play that never feels lonely, and Rajan deserves every gong New Zealand could possibly send his way.

Other aspects help add to the world – notably David Waird's sound design that helps with some great jokes that separate the characters – but none moreso than Jon Coddington, the puppeteer behind the vulture that brings together life and afterlife. Sitting near the front, the vulture puppet was a marvel to look at and makes for an extraordinary supporting character, and Coddington channels a convincing avian performance through the puppet.

As technically impressive as Paradise is staged, its power comes in its strong story co-written by Rajan and Justin Lewis, that beautifully explores missed opportunities, regret, and ultimately happiness. There's something relatable for everyone in Kutistar and Meera's stories, and it builds towards a beautiful final moment – somewhat undercut by an unnecessary final joke – that draws life and afterlife together.

To label this a must-see is an understatement – Paradise is a joyous and heartbreaking event that realises the magic of live theatre and storytelling in a truly unique way.

What: Paradise, or the Impermanence of Ice Cream
Where: Q Theatre, until June 26