What is the role of theater and art in a world dominated by terrorism and hostility? This is the central question at the heart of A Room in India (”Une chambre en Inde”), the latest epic by the matriarch of exploratory French theater Ariane Mnouchkine and her company Théâtre du Soleil. After astonishing Armory audiences with their two-part work exploring the end of the world, Les Éphémères, in 2009, this visionary collective returns for the North American premiere of this landmark new work, following the adventures of a touring French theater company stranded in India without a director while the world around them falls into disarray.

Performed by the 35 multinational actors in the company, this tour-de-force transcends Eastern and Western drama and features a special performance of Terukkuttu—a traditional form of theater practiced in South India. The production is an expansive affair, touching on pressing issues that societies around the globe are currently facing, from terrorism and religious extremism to climate change and gender equality. The end result is a manifesto of the power of theater to heal a community, as well as an exploration of how to talk about the chaos of a world that has become incomprehensible.

A production of Théâtre du Soleil, adapted by Park Avenue Armory

A collective creation by the Théâtre du Soleil
Directed by Ariane Mnouchkine
Music by Jean-Jacques Lemêtre
Together with Hélène Cixous
With the exceptional participation of Kalaimamani Purisai Kannappa Sambandan Thambiran