Hi! My name is Ninad.
I was given a simple task: to tell you, my patient reader, about how much a theatre company that excels in gig-style, immersive, hip-hop-esque shows has meant to me over two years of watching them live and keeping their songs on repeat when I go out for a drive. It's a love story really.
Remotely intrigued?
Love at first note: The Gods The Gods The Gods
I first chanced upon their show The Gods The Gods The Gods at the Edinburgh Fringe in August 2023. It was scheduled for half past ten at night— and while excitement was in the air, so was exhaustion.
And so, exhausted out of my mind yet intrigued, I walked into a massive gallery at Summerhall, surrounded by a global crowd—equally confused, equally curious, equally cheerful. None of us knew why we had been shepherded into a space with three strategically placed platforms. We stood. We waited.
Then, they appeared. Three artists, casually costumed, seemingly unassuming—until a beat dropped and our hearts leaped up. A voice rang out:
"The Gods, they gather from North, East, South, and West…"(GODS I, the first song of the evening)
Instantly, the room was alive. We, the festive listeners, were no longer just an audience—we were a congregation, part of something much bigger than ourselves. The performers wove through the crowd, their bodies forming the rhythm, their voices crafting a heartbeat. The story - was about the Greek gods gathered in Olympus to discuss how their relevance was fading. The old Gods who knew that people were losing faith in them.
We swayed. We smiled. We chanted. We connected. Strangers became one. And then, the old gods disappeared. And new ones emerged. Ones we recognised, ones that got us through the every day hustle. The ones we didn't need to appease, the ones who had our backs. The ones who were before us. These gods were us. Before we knew it, we were breathing in and out to words that can only best be quoted:
"To the gods who are stood right next to you, day in and day out To all the gods who take you dancing ‘til the dancing wets your skin And the gods who take you drinking ‘til you can’t fit more drink in…"
They say to be loved is to be seen.
The Honeymon Phase: Helios
It's new and you need to delve deeper, know more, spend all your time together. That's how I felt after I watched my first Wright&Grainger performance. I was determined to watch as many shows as possible. And so I found myself in the basement of one of Edinburgh Fringe’s most vibrant venues. The moment I walked in, it felt like an initiation—a secret society revealing itself.
There he was. The same performer from The Gods The Gods The Gods—but this time, there was something different. Dressed the same, yet carrying an aura of mysticism. The room felt like an extension of his presence.
Once again, I stood amidst an audience of confused newcomers, but this time, I held a secret. You know that feeling when, at your childhood birthday party, you knew exactly what was inside the goody bag but weren’t allowed to tell anyone? That!
Did my familiarity lessen the experience? Not in the slightest. If anything, it sharpened my ear, making every phrase even more impactful.
"It just says ‘Happy Birthday,’ but that’s enough to know that the world is different than what it was…"
Helios—a story about the son of the God of the Sun—was unfolding before us. It was a greek myth yes, but through music and spoken word and characters that felt all too familiar, the play once again seemed to be about the ordinary joe. I was joe. And I was surprised at how this group I had never met was so beautifully articulating feelings that I had felt by using a mythological context that was far away from me.
Falling Deeper: Half Man, Half Bull
Fast forward to 2024. I’m back in London, and my favorite person in the world—my little brother—is visiting. I want to show him something extraordinary. A quick TodayTix search. An Instagram deep dive. And there it was: Wright & Grainger. London previews for Edinburgh Fringe 2024.
Walking into the venue felt different this time. You know that joy of watching someone you love experience what you love? That was me. I held my breath as my brother was ushered into the smoky, maze-like setup.
Four performers came together to tell us a story of a father whose son had flown too close to the sun. There was grief, there was guilt and so much more in between. They crafted an experience so visceral, it made both of us want to call our dad right after the show.
They have mastered the art of making words resonate uniquely with each listener, shaping phrases that evoke emotions without excess. Their storytelling is both deeply personal and universally felt.
A line that still lingers in my mind:
"There are people in places that make places nicer…"
And so it goes: To be continued
There's something truly beautiful in watching a play and feeling something deep in the pit of your stomach, turning to your neighbor, beside you, in front of you, two seats behind you, and knowing that they feel it to. The empathy they brought with them had me feeling the same way time and time again. Afterall these performances were intimate, they needed you to engage with the performer and each other. I couldn't get enough, I kept coming back for more. Edinburgh Fringe 2024, my first show that festival was one of theirs. The songs I listened to on my way back home, was from their plays.
Imagine my delight when I got to stage manage and company manage the shows they were to be performing in India? Each performance I caught of theirs, even as I worked on the show myself, was magical. I got to witness up close, what they do and how they do it. I could go on forever... especially since I look forward to falling in love over and over again with the craft they bring. So I will stop here. And urge you, dear reader, to go fall in love yourself.
Ninad Samaddar is a story seller based in India. He is the founder and Artistic director of The Urban Theatre Project, Kolkata and is also a board member to award-winning theatre charity, Flute Theatre, UK. He has been involved in various capacities in several national and international live theatre tours and shows. His most prominent productions would be the lead actor in Vaibhavi and Shruti Merchants Taj Express the Bollywood musical produced by Yash Raj films and working as the production coordinator for Mira Nair’s Monsoon Wedding the musical presented at the FIFA World Cup 2022.