The Black and the Jew Go Buddhist

Produced by Epstein and Hassan – New York

The Black and the Jew Go Buddhist is one of those shows that promises a lot and gives a little. Epstein and Hassan tell a story of their happy 27-year marriage. They tackle all sorts of sensitive subjects – race, spirituality, sex. Since they are not “politically correct,” the comedy in the show has the chance to develop in a really provocative and challenging manner.  Unfortunately, except for some blunt phrases and being funny from time to time, they tell us basically nothing. There is no theatre element, but rather a lesson on how to treat each other when in a mixed race relationship. Audience participation makes it possibly a fun workshop, but definitely not a decent theatre piece of any genre. Another problem they encounter is trying to encompass too much in one hour, so that, in the end, they do not say very much about anything. The connecting thread is not there, a promising idea is lost in trivialities, and stress is put on a “shock” effect, killing any chance of digging a bit dipper into a problem which is still persistent in our world. Being funny and entertaining still can result in a good quality theatre. Unfortunately, Epstein and Hassan missed the mark this time.

The Black and the Jew Go Buddhist plays at Ottawa U in Studio Léonard-Beaulne