Indian Ink
by Austin Shakespeare
Feb. 15 - Mar. 03, 2019
Thursdays-Sundays
In 1930, British poet Flora Crewe travels to India. Flora is a thoroughly modern girl who has modeled for Modigliani, hobnobbed with communists, and been accused of obscenity for the racy book A Nymph and Her Muse. Her portrait is painted by the Indian artist Nirad while she fends off the attentions of a dashing but dimwitted scion of the British Raj. Her bravado hides the knowledge that she is severely ill.
In the 1980s, American academic Eldon Pike seeks out Flora's sister Eleanor to discover the truth about the end of the poet's life — she died in India soon after meeting Nirad. Eleanor reveals little to the scholar, sending him off on a wild goose chase tracing Flora's path through India. But she is more welcoming to Nirad's son Anish, who also comes looking for answers and provides him with a powerful clue about events 50 years earlier.
The beautiful story of a rebellious poet who has her portrait painted by a mysterious artist while traveling in India, Indian Ink features Jill Blackwood (Pinter’s Old Times) as the poet and guest artist Tamil Periasamy as the painter.
Set in both the 1930s and the 1980s, Stoppard's play interweaves stories of art and desire, as the poet’s younger sister (now an older woman in the 1980s) tries to solve the portrait’s mystery. Babs George (The Merry Wives of Windsor) stars as Mrs. Swan, who conspires with the painter’s son, played by Austin improv headliner Sanjay Rao.
Popular Austin Shakespeare veteran Colum Morgan (Much Ado About Nothing) will play the American literary scholar Eldon Pike, whom Stoppard spoofs.
“Just as our audiences enjoyed our past productions of time travel in Stoppard’s Arcadia, and the glory of language and ideas in his The Invention of Love, Indian Ink aims at once to amuse and mesmerize,” said Artistic Director Ann Ciccolella. “In its Eastern setting, with richly portrayed characters and beautiful words, Indian Ink reveals why many have called Tom Stoppard one of our greatest living playwrights.”
Austin’s Eastern soul singer, Nagavalli provides unique music to the show, including contemporarymeditative tracks from her new CD, Immersion.
Cast also includes Austin Shakespeare alumni: Devin Finn (The Winter’s Tale), Keith Paxton (Antony and Cleopatra) both as romantic interests. And new to the company: Srini Radhaan as the host Coomaraswami, Siddharth (Sidd) Kumar as the server Nazrul; Prakash Udupa as the Indian scholar Dilip; Harsh Joshi as the Rajah who transforms into a modern politician, and Emily Christine Smith in a surprise appearance from the past.
CREATIVE TEAM
Scenic Designer: Tara Houston
Costume Designers: Cecilia Gay & Benjamin Taylor Ridgway
Lighting Designer: Patrick Anthony
ABOUT AUSTIN SHAKESPEARE: Founded in 1984 and the only professional classical theater company in Central Texas, Austin Shakespeare presents theater of the highest quality with an emphasis on the plays of William Shakespeare, staging performances that are fresh, bold, imaginative, thought-provoking and eminently accessible -- connecting the truths of the past with the challenges and possibilities of today. In the fall and spring, Austin Shakespeare also produces plays with heightened language by writers such as Shaw, Schiller, and Stoppard as a resident company of
The Long Center for the Performing Arts Rollins Studio Theatre. Austin Shakespeare’s ongoing “Shakespeare Aloud” reading group and “Artist’s Way” sessions invite new participants weekly and the company’s education program 20/20 sends professional actors into the schools to encourage love of language. In 2018, Austin Shakespeare was honored with a grant from the prestigious Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Arts Innovation and Management (AIM) program.
Indian Ink
by Tom Stoppard
Austin Shakespeare
February 15 - March 03, 2019
February 16 - March 3, 2019
Wednesdays - Saturdays at 7:30 pm
Sundays at 3 pm
low-priced preview Friday, February 15
Rollins Theater, Long Center for the Performing Arts, 701 W Riverside Dr. Austin TX 78704
Tickets start at $25 and are available at the Long Center box office.
