The Coolie Odyssey

Toured intentionally.

Inspired by the 1995 novel Red Earth and Pouring Rain by Vikram Chandrah, The Coolie Odyssey is a many-layered epic drama that covers various highlights in the history of South African Indians from 1890 to 2002, looking at Indian life, religious ideals and local politics. It tells the stories of a group of men, women and children who initially sign up for seven years indentured labour in what was colonial Natal in 1890 and then become part of the population. The story is recorded by a typing monkey (with memories of previous human incarnations) in the yard behind the house of a descendant living in modern day Durban and the narrative moves back and forth in time and location, from India, to Durban, to a sugar-cane plantation on the Natal north coast. His story unveils the life of Ramlal Kilhari, an indentured labourer, who arrived in Durban in 1888 and follows Ramlal as he searches for identity, belonging and salvation against the backdrop of those pioneering colonial times. The production cast a light on a very influential minority group that was part of the social fabric, but uncertain about their future in the New South Africa at the turn of the new millenium. internationally toured play set in South The Coolie odyssey is a theatre production written and directed by Rajesh Gopie

* PLEASE NOTE

THE PRODUCTION WAS RECORDED IN 2012. THE VIDEO QUALITY IS IN HD BUT NOT FULL HD. ALSO NOTE THE SOUND IS FROM A LIVE SOUND FEED AND MAY BE MOMENTARILY DISTORTED AT TIMES ON SOME TELEVISIONS. THE OVERALL QUALITY IS FINE AND WE RECOMMEND USING HEADPHONES WHERE POSSIBLE FOR BEST AUDIO. THANK YOU FOR UNDERSTANDING.