New Indian Express: Wayanad Literature Festival - Lovely, dramatic and deep

We are pleased to share that our presence at Wayanad Literature Festival 2024 got featured in journalist Krishna P S's extensive coverage of the rural literature gathering.

Below is an excerpt from the original article (which you can read here)

What If You’re ‘Joseph’?

A multimedia immersive experience based on Franz Kafka’s seminal work The Trial was a highlight of the Wayanad Lit Fest, which concluded on Sunday. Inside a secluded black room, away from the bustle of the main venue, the nuanced theatre production drew curious crowds, especially students. In ‘I Joseph’, directed by Gaurav Singh Nijjer and adapted by Varoon P Anand, the viewer steps into the shoes of Joseph, the protagonist of Kafka’s novel, who is put on trial for unknown charges.

Seated in the darkened room, audience members are provided with headphones through which they hear pre-recorded audio, immersing them in interactions with other characters. Typically, three projectors positioned in the corners of the room display images of the courthouse, other characters, and key events onto white curtains hung throughout the space. “Here, we are only using one projector, taking into account the power constraints,” says Varoon.

As the audience assumes the role of the protagonist, they experience the confusion and anguish of Joseph, a man desperately trying to defend himself in an unfamiliar court against unexplained charges. “It is interesting to see the different reactions the play elicits in each viewer,” Varoon adds.

The production is a collaboration between Kaivalya Plays and the Goethe-Institut, created to commemorate Kafka’s 100th death anniversary (December 24). ‘I Joseph’ will be presented at other venues in the state, including the Kerala Literature Festival in Kozhikode set to be held in February.