In an age of instant answers and digital efficiency, this talk explores a deeper, more human way of searching. Theatre practitioner Vivek Vijayakumaran reflects on how theatre trains us to search not for information, but for connection, presence, and truth. Through rehearsal practices and performance experiences, he shows how the body, breath, silence, and play become tools for discovery.
Contrasting AI’s speed with theatre’s slowness, the talk highlights the value of listening, openness, and embracing the unknown. Theatre becomes a space where differences dissolve, relationships grow, and meaning is created together. Ultimately, this talk invites us to slow down, engage fully with the moment, and rediscover searching as a deeply human practice. Vivek Vijayakumaran is a multifaceted theatre artist with over 15 years of experience in acting, directing, training, and creating innovative performances. He has trained under legends like Padma Bhushan Heisnam Kanhailal and Guru G. Venu, as well as at Italy’s famed Workcenter of Jerzy Grotowski and Thomas Richards. He is the recipient of the INLAKS India Theatre Award (2012) and also featured among Forbes India’s "12 boundary-pushing theatre innovators" (2015).As a director, Vivek has helmed productions like Imagine a Room, Just Hiss (children’s theatre), and the non-verbal piece IT IS YOU. His work has been supported by organisations including Arts Universe, the India-Sri Lanka Foundation, and the Ratan Tata Travel Grant. His performances include BHIMA, Girish Karnad’s Yayati, Bali - The Sacrifice, and many more. He currently leads Our Theatre Collective and Our Theatre Studio, nurturing experimental performance and actor training. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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