Through this show in Hyderabad, step into the world of the German genius’ tales where you become the protagonist

The Van Gogh 360 show brought immersive experiences to the mainstream, showcasing the artist’s work to the general public, and thereby making his art more accessible. A similar sentiment has led Kaivalya Plays and Goethe Institut to present an immersive adaptation, I, Josef based on Franz Kafka’s work, The Trail.

What can you see at I,Josef?

The story follows the life of Josef K; a man put on trial without ever being told what his crime is. The show is an audio-visual experience where the audience becomes the protagonist to get an easier understanding of the work. Kafka’s novel is famously dense, layered with alienation and absurdity. “It takes someone a couple of reads of The Trial to really understand what Kafka is trying to say. That is exactly why we decided to make it more immersive — an experience that would allow someone encountering Kafka for the first time to feel what a seasoned reader feels,” explains Gaurav Singh Nijjer, the director of the play.

One of the biggest choices Kaivalya Plays made, was shifting the work’s third-person narrative into a first-person format, turning the audience themselves into Josef K. “We want each one to walk into a dark room and feel like the protagonist. It’s a connected experience, but also highly personal — very Kafkaesque,” Gaurav says. Another change I, Josef has incorporated is making certain male characters in the original novel into female characters. This is done to bring in the idea of gender and power.

The team has also employed binaural audio technology. Using a special microphone placed in a dummy head, actors performed around it so that the recorded sound mimics the way we hear in real life — left to right. The idea was to replicate the intimacy of the courtroom, the claustrophobia and the confusion, that comes along with legal proceedings.

But sound alone wasn’t enough, there had to be visuals that complemented the story as well. Hence, hundreds of AI-generated images, reworked and animated, are projected onto translucent gauze panels suspended across the room. Unlike some artists who hesitate to reveal their reliance on AI, Kaivalya Plays is transparent. “I don’t want to hide it. For me, it’s another tool in my arsenal. Going from zero to one is easier, but one to 100 still takes time. The point is to transform it into something new,” shares Gaurav.

Because the Goethe-Institut commissioned the work, language became another layer of immersion. The show runs in both English and German, with voiceovers performed by Goethe-Institut staff themselves. “When I started doing theatre in German, I felt closer to the language. That’s what we wanted here too — for students learning German, for audiences connecting to Kafka in new ways,” Gaurav concludes.

Tickets at `350.

On till August 31, 6 pm to 9 pm.

At Rangabhoomi Events and Spaces, Serillingampalle.

Email: anshula.u@newindianexpress.com

X: @indulgexpress

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