Justin Te Honihana Pokaihau Rogers, Catherine Yates and Tessa Rao in Indian Ink's Dirty Work. Photos / John McDermott
Justin Te Honihana Pokaihau Rogers, Catherine Yates and Tessa Rao in Indian Ink's Dirty Work. Photos / John McDermott
After the resounding success of the 2023 tour, Indian Ink is set to take its joyful comedy hit show Dirty Work to Hamilton, New Plymouth and Whangārei.
Featuring close to 30 people on stage, the production which received both audience and critical acclaim, tips the modern office on its head and celebrates an unsung hero.
The computers are down and the big boss in India wants the impossible. A hapless middle manager, his unhelpful assistant and their chorus of office workers are making a mess of things - which isn’t good news for the cleaner.
Dirty Work.
Workplace hierarchies are shattered and class and culture clash, but from the chaos emerges a different way to value one another.
Dirty Work connects with local communities by collaborating with local choirs to create a chorus of office workers.
In a toe-tapping twist, the choir members don’t get to read the script prior to the performance. All they know is that they are cubicle-bound office workers taking direction from ‘the boss’.
The chaos that unfolds as the story is revealed is experienced by the choir at the same time as the audience, adding to the unbridled joy and hilarity of Dirty Work.
While the highly physical gags centred around modern office culture keep audiences laughing, it is the power and beauty of people harmonising in song that elevates Dirty Work.
Indian Ink’s award-winning creative team continue to weave their magic with Justin Lewis at the helm as director and Jacob Rajan zooming in for a special guest appearance.
The stellar 2023 cast of Justin Rogers (Mrs Krishnan’s Party) and rising stars Tessa Rao and Catherine Yates return. The musical director is Josh Clark.
Dirty Work.
As with all great comedies and true to all of Indian Ink’s repertoire, Dirty Work offers up some powerful social commentary. Between the laughs, audiences may consider how we value our time, how we value each other, and find joy in the endless toil of work.
Dirty Work is the 11th original New Zealand Indian play to be created by Indian Ink co-founders Jacob Rajan and Justin Lewis.
Now in its 27th year, Indian Ink has extensively toured New Zealand and the world, delivering award-winning and highly inventive productions that blend Western theatrical traditions with Eastern flavours. Their work is heralded for its use of live music, humour, pathos and great storytelling.
Dirty Work.
2024 is a testimony to Indian Ink’s ongoing national and international success, with the return of the masterful Guru of Chai in Auckland, Kāpiti and Wellington, and international performances of Mrs Krishnan’s Party in the US and Canada.
We have a double pass to give away to the Hamilton performance. To be in the draw email your name, address, and daytime phone number to hnfthcomps@gmail.com, with Dirty Work in the subject, by midday Friday, May 10.
