Immersive theatre: I, JOSEF brings Kafka’s The Trial to life in Bangalore

I, Josef
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

In a reinterpretation of The Trial by Franz Kafka, I, Josef, attempts to immerse its audiences into the mind of one of literature’s most beleaguered characters, Josef K, through an innovative fusion of binaural audio and other multimedia.

Directed and designed by Gaurav Singh Nijjer and written by Varoon P Anand, this show does not just invite the audience to watch the story — it attempts to pull them into its world, making them Josef K, trapped in an unsettling bureaucratic nightmare.

The timeless themes of Kafka’s novel — alienation, the absurdity of bureaucracy, and existential dread — are ripe for theatrical adaptation, but I, Josef tries to take these ideas to new heights by engaging the senses in a way that traditional theatre cannot. Gaurav, fascinated with using psychological tension in art, says the decision to use binaural audio came from a desire to create an experience that mirrored the confusion and entrapment that Kafka’s protagonist faces.

“Kafka’s world is fragmented and oppressive, and binaural audio seemed like the perfect medium to create a similar sense of disorientation and entrapment. We wanted the audience not just to witness Josef K’s journey but to feel like they were inside his mind,” he explains. By surrounding the listener with the sounds of voices, footsteps, and shifting environments, the production places the audience at the heart of Josef K’s story, making his reality theirs.

I, JOSEF
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Immersive experience

Binaural audio technology is what makes I, Josef so impactful. Using specialised microphones that capture sound in a way that mimics human hearing, the production creates a 3D soundscape that envelops the listener. Gaurav describes this immersive sound as a way to heighten tension and confusion. “You hear footsteps approaching from behind, voices in the distance, or the rustling of papers right next to you,” he says. The auditory immersion makes the audience feel like active participants, drawing them into the absurdity that defines Kafka’s world.

For Varoon, this immersion is essential to translating the themes of The Trial in a meaningful way. “Kafka’s writing is rich with ambiguity, and the themes of alienation are deeply personal,” he says, “With binaural audio, there’s a certain intimacy that you don’t get with traditional formats. You hear a whisper in your ear, or a door slamming in the distance, and you’re instantly placed inside the story.”

Varoon hopes the experience leaves a lasting impact on the audience. “Kafka’s work forces us to confront questions about identity, society, and the human condition,” he says. “By the end of the show, I hope they leave with a sense of introspection. The immersive format is there to make the themes linger longer in their minds.” Beyond sound, the production incorporates multimedia elements, such as projections and lighting, to deepen the experience.

Gaurav Singh Nijjer
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

For Gaurav and Varoon, I, Josef is not just a reflection of Kafka’s early 20th-century concerns but a commentary on the modern world. “We live in an age where surveillance is omnipresent, where bureaucracy is often dehumanising, and where individuals feel lost in systems that are supposed to serve them,” Gaurav says.

“Kafka was ahead of his time in predicting how individuals would feel alienated in a bureaucratic, impersonal world,” adds Varoon.

Commissioned by the Goethe Institut New Delhi as part of #100yearskafka, I, Josef premiered in September 2024 and is currently available in both English and German, with a Hindi version planned for 2025.

On October 26 and 27 at Prestige Centre for Performing Arts. For more information, visit kaivalyaplays.org/i-josef