3 days ago
Cultural attaché: Jacob Rajan
On the case: Jacob Rajan in The Pickle King. Photo / Supplied
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On the case: Jacob Rajan in The Pickle King. Photo / Supplied
Jacob Rajan was the first Indian graduate from Toi Whakaari, New Zealand's drama school. Back in the 1990s, he met Justin Lewis in a bar after a show, and that chance conversation led them to start the theatre company Indian Ink. Their first play, Krishnan's Dairy, made a big impact on New Zealand theatre by bringing stories to audiences rooted in cultural connections and 'the serious laugh' ‒ mixing humour with weightier themes. Since then, Indian Ink has created 11 original plays and toured internationally. Along the way, Rajan has been recognised for his work. He was named an Arts Laureate in 2002 and appointed a Member of the NZ Order of Merit in 2013 for his contributions to theatre.
What is your earliest memory?
Getting a vaccination when I was 4. My mum said we were going to get an ice-cream, neglecting to mention the stabbing I would receive beforehand. I howled more at the betrayal than the pain.
What did you want to be when you were a kid?
I loved The Famous Five, The Secret Seven, The Three Investigators, etc, and I loved dogs. So, some sort of detective-with-a-dog Scooby-Doo situation would have been ideal.
When were you happiest?
My kids were 9, 7 and 5 and we were in the kitchen making chapatis in a sort of assembly line – shaping the dough, rolling, flipping, stamping with butter. There was music playing and I thought, 'This is peak happy, this is as happy as you will ever need – remember this.'
What's your greatest fear?
I'm not great with balloons or snakes but my greatest fear would be something bad happening to my wife and kids. So, I guess if my wife and kids were trapped in a room with balloons and cobras and I was the only one who could save them, that would be bad for me – and them, obviously.
What makes you unhappy?
Wasted time. Like watching hours of your life dissolve into a YouTube spiral until suddenly it's midnight and you're emotionally invested in the renovation of a Norwegian boathouse. Or being passed like a cursed baton from one help desk to another, each one less helpful than the last. Or losing weeks of work – not because you didn't save it (please, I wasn't born yesterday) – but because something else glitched. It's not just time you can't get back, it's time mocking you on the way out.
What trait in yourself do you least like?
Resentment of other people's success. I have a jealous streak that I've worked hard to suppress but it flares up from time to time – not pretty.
What trait in others do you least like?
I hate judgmental people; I can spot them a mile away. It's a joke but it's kinda true. Finding fault is easy and lazy and makes for good gossip but not great people. And yes, it's another thing I'm working on.
What characteristics do you most value in your friends?
Passion, intelligence (emotional, cerebral – often both), sense of humour, kindness. All my closest friends have that spark, something that lights me up or steadies me when needed. I steal a little brilliance from each of them.
When is it okay to lie?
Any time the truth would do more harm than good, which I'll admit is rare. And when you're involved in good mischief where the purpose of de lie is to bring de-light.
Favourite things, clockwise from top left: New York, Meryl Streep, and The Famous Five. Images / Getty Images
Apart from any property, what's the most expensive thing you've bought?
A trip for the whole family to New York. We scrimped and saved and got some help from a patron. Worth every cent. Experiences are better than things.
What's the best gift you've ever given?
I bought a 1940s electric railway clock from an antique shop in Melbourne for my wife's birthday. I had to transport it back in my luggage and I was terrified that it would be just a mess of springs and cogs and broken glass when I opened my suitcase. But it was completely intact and has kept perfect time ever since, although the hands go backwards after a power cut for some reason. I love it and I definitely bought it for my wife.
What is your most treasured possession?
My guitar. Conrad Wedde from Phoenix Foundation was our original composer and musician in our first play, Krishnan's Dairy. When my crappy op-shop guitar finally died, Conrad took me to Alistair's Music Ltd in Wellington and selected this beautifully toned and shapely Spanish replacement. Maria's toured the world with me and has stuck by me even though I'm not really worthy of her – much like my wife.
What was the last book you read?
The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, by Shehan Karunatilaka – a surreal, savage and strangely hilarious ride through the afterlife in war-torn Sri Lanka.
Who are your favourite writers?
Salman Rushdie (on a good day), Arundhati Roy, Jeanette Winterson, Michael Ondaatje and lately, Richard Powers.
Who is your favourite character(s) of fiction?
I've just discovered him: Akram Salim from the TV programme Dept Q. He's a sidekick to the main detective but steals every scene. I love me a good sidekick.
What book do you recommend to others to read?
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy – it still breaks me open.
The title of your autobiography would be …
Truthfully, I Lie.
What words or phrases do you overuse?
'Just one more thing…' and 'It'll be fine.' Both are rarely true.
What is your favourite word?
'Mischief.' It suggests trouble, yes, but the kind that's clever, charming, joyful. Playful subversion. It's a word that never sits still.
Do you have a quote(s) you live by?
'First we eat, then we do everything else.'‒ MFK Fisher.
What is your favourite museum/art gallery?
Chichu Art Museum on Naoshima Island in Japan. My wife and I went there this year. Often those big, famous galleries around the world can be overwhelming with the sheer volume of art they store. The beauty of Chichu is it has only three rooms for three artists whose work is on permanent display: Claude Monet, James Turrell and Walter De Maria. But the word 'only' doesn't really belong here. The museum was designed by Tadao Ando and apparently took form as Ando, Turrell and De Maria bounced ideas off each other. The result is not so much a building but a gobsmacking piece of site-specific art itself. You go for the water lilies but you end up being moved by the walls.
Travel destination: South America. Image / Getty Images
What is the artwork you could look at endlessly?
Teshima Art Museum in Japan. Again, I'd say it's an artwork not an art museum. You take a ferry to Teshima Island. You get on a bus. You wait for your allotted time. You walk down a path overlooking a beautiful inland sea. You're told to take off your shoes, not to talk and to be careful where you walk. You enter the most extraordinary vast, white, domed, underground room with massive holes in the ceiling that punch out to the sky. There's an immediate sense of awe, like being in a cathedral, but at some point you look down and notice the floor is leaking. Barely visible pin holes around the place release tiny droplets of water that trickle and join in random – mesmerising patterns of tension and release – ultimately finding their way to puddles that you can't believe you didn't see before. Who knew you could spend 15 minutes fully invested in the drama of water making its way across the floor, and have to be dragged away?
What particular artistic talent would you like to have?
I'd love to be an awesome backing singer. Harmonies and cool dance moves. Maybe a tambourine?
What is your favourite film?
Truly, Madly, Deeply. It's not just a love story, it's a grief story in disguise. It lets you feel big things – loss, love, longing – and you laugh through the ache, the messiness of mourning, the absurdity of holding on. Also, let's be honest: Alan Rickman playing Bach on a cello in a cardigan? Impossible not to love.
If a movie was made of your life, which song would be played over the end credits?
Aretha Franklin singing I Say a Little Prayer. It was the post-show song for Krishnan's Dairy. I must've heard it more than 300 times but it never got old.
Who would play you?
Prince, if he was alive or Meryl Streep, alive or dead. I don't know how she'd do it but I know she'd totally nail it.
What has been your most enjoyable live theatre experience?
John Bolton's Jumping Mouse. One man, a simple story told with such sincerity and craft that it lands right in the centre of your chest.
What has been your most enjoyable live music experience?
Leonard Cohen in my home town, Wellington. It wasn't just a concert; it felt like communion. This was three years before he died. His voice was aged into gravel and velvet, each lyric was poetry made flesh. He bowed low, tipped his trilby to his musicians, danced like a gentleman thief.
What are your favourite genres of music?
Anything with soul – from qawwali to funk to classic singer-songwriter.
What were your top songs in Spotify 2024 Wrapped?
I'm so old I don't know what you're talking about but I pretty much had The National, Aldous Harding and The Felice Brothers on high rotation that year, if that helps.
What song always gets you dancing?
Kiss, by Prince. It's a contract with the universe; if it plays, you move.
What is a streaming series or favourite TV show you would recommend?
Extras. Ricky Gervais is genius and the celebrities he co-opts are clearly having the time of their lives. I know it's ancient now but it bears repeated viewing.
If you weren't an actor/playwright, what would you be doing instead?
Yoga instructor. Let's be clear, I don't actually do yoga beyond a few stretches but I'd like to. And I feel, being Indian, I could sell it.
Clockwise from top left: 'Truly, Madly, Deeply,' Leonard Cohen, and Aretha Franklin. Images / Getty Images
Which talent or skill do you wish you had?
I wish I was handy. Like handyman handy. I own some tools – a circular saw, electric drill, spirit level – but I'm inept with them and they don't respect me. It's a constant humiliation.
Do you have a skill or ability that might surprise people?
I have an unusual superpower: I'm not ticklish. Not even a flinch. People always think they'll be the one to break me but my laughter has to be earned not stolen.
Which three people, dead or alive, would you like to have dinner with?
I don't have much of a grasp on politics or history or art but I'm endlessly fascinated by food. So MFK Fisher (high priestess of food writing), Nigella Lawson (domestic goddess) and Yotam Ottolenghi (Middle Eastern wizard). Everybody would have to bring a plate, obviously.
Where is your favourite place in New Zealand?
My home town, Wellington, Te Whanganui-a-Tara. Wind in your face, sea like a sermon.
What is your favourite place outside Aotearoa?
Bali. Beauty is in everything there: the food, the architecture, the landscape. It's a daily ritual for the Balinese. The trick is to avoid the Australians.
What is a destination you'd love to visit some time?
South America. I realise that's not very specific but that whole continent is a mystery to me and I hear great things.
What is a building or architectural work you admire?
As mentioned earlier, Tadao Ando's Chichu Art Museum. It disappears into the earth and yet somehow expands your sense of space. A temple to light and silence with an atmosphere that humbles you.
A good day starts with …
Strong coffee and Wordle in two.
What would be comfort food to you?
My mum's red fish curry. Rice. No cutlery.
What can't you resist on a restaurant menu?
Offal. It's the culinary version of rebellion. I see it on the menu – liver, tongue, sweetbreads – and my instinct is, 'No way!' But I refuse to back down. I am compelled to try-pe.
What is your guilty pleasure?
YouTube food videos. I tell myself I'm just looking for dinner inspiration but let's face it, I'm never going to make laminated pastry or pickle a goat.
Jacob Rajan performs in Indian Ink's Guru Of Chai at Forum North, Whangārei, on July 26-27. He also performs Paradise or the Impermanence of Ice Cream at Theatre Royal, Nelson, from August 29 -31, and Regent Theatre, Dunedin, on September 5.
