Brimful of Asha at the Magnetic North. The play needs edit to be delightful
Photo. Magnetic North Festival
How can you not automatically like a mother and son who welcome you to their show by passing out tasty samosas?
The offering is an intimate gesture, appropriate to a show in which Asha and Ravi Jain tell, with varied success, a true family story about cultural and generational conflict. The show, in which the two mostly address the audience directly while seated at a dining room table, recounts Ravi’s battle against the attempts of his parents – both immigrants from India – to shanghai him into an arranged marriage when he wants a career in theatre.
Ravi, a trained actor with a flair for likeable stand-up comedy, tells the bulk of the story. It includes accounts of endless meals in India with prospective brides and their families.
Asha, who had never been on stage prior to this show but has charm, wit and a keen sense of audience, takes over the story from time to time. Her measured, implacable tones and physical stillness contrast with her son’s high-energy presentation.
At other times, the two argue the finer points of arranged versus non-arranged marriages and other issues……..
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