One man army

“Citizen Josh” comes to the Capital. This hilarious 90-minute production captures "a very passive, somewhat lazy person’s" journey to political activism.

A chain of autobiographical tales string together a take on politics and democracy. “Citizen Josh” – the one man play by Josh Kornbluth, which received considerable critical acclaim in the U.S., will come to the Capital next week. This hilarious 90-minute production captures “a very passive, somewhat lazy person’s” journey to political activism.

Autobiographical monologues are a form Kornbluth has almost become synonymous with in the past 20 years in the U.S. He has performed many solo shows which include “Haiku Tunnel,” “The Mathematics of Change,” “Red Diaper Baby,” and “Love & Taxes.”

Individual role

His latest work emanated partly from his “great frustration at the 2004 elections in the United States.” Despair at the direction America is heading and the realisation that he as an individual was not doing anything, played a part in the birth of “Citizen Josh.” It was also spurred on by the need to complete his senior thesis at Princeton which was delayed merely by a quarter of a century.

Kornbluth says “he felt terrible” about letting his instructor Sheldon Wolin, for whom he had enormous admiration, down. It takes Kornbluth back to the circle of political theory and democracy.

Dose of humour

If democracy, responsibility and activism have a heavy air to it, Kornbluth assures it is layered with a “lot of humour”. “I am the character which is the butt of my humour,” says Kornbluth.

“Citizen Josh” is on a six-city tour of India. This Jonathan Reinis Production was staged for the first time in the country during the MetroPlus Theatre Fest in Chennai recently. “Citizen Josh” was performed in Mumbai on August 21. American Center in association with Picasso India will take the play to Kolkata on August 26, where it will be performed at the American Center.

The solo show is being brought to New Delhi by the American Center in association with The Indian Habitat Centre.

It will be staged at 8 p.m. at Stein Auditorium in the India Habitat Centre on August 28. Passes are available at The American Center Library and The Habitat Centre.

The American Center will also organise a theatre workshop led by Kornbluth on August 29 at 11:00 a.m. at its premises.