A Brimful of Asha
About the show
Soulpepper Theatre Company presents Ravi Jain's autobiographical play about arranged marriage. More…
Soulpepper resident artist Ravi Jain shares the stage with his real-life non-actor mother, Asha, as they tell their respective sides of her attempt to arrange his marriage. Presented in association with Why Not Theatre. Part of the Soulpepper on 42nd Street festival.
"Asha isn't a born performer, but she is funny and ultimately has the audience in the palm of her hand...Jain is a skilled storyteller and deserves props as a writer...A couple of small cuts could be made early to get the family to India sooner without any of the setup of their relationship being sacrificed...'Asha' is a charming production with an unlikely comedic duo that also provides a window into the subject of arranged marriage...It's a welcome introduction to another culture." Full Review
for a previous production “A warm, intimate and very funny show…Their delightful double-act strengthens as the show continues…While, at times, the pair’s delivery makes it is impossible to ignore the scripted nature of their ‘off-the-cuff’ bickering, for the most part, one is too busy laughing to care…In the end, its refusal to simplify matters proves the show’s greatest strength...We come to understand at least some of the complexities, pressures and frustrations of this most personal of culture clashes.” Full Review
for a previous production “Asha is simply wonderful as herself: a clever, subtle woman with an impish sense of humor and a smile that lights up the whole theatre…There are very funny moments, furious arguments and—for some of us—unusual and very intimate insights into Indian culture and mores. The piece is weaker, ironically, when it tries to become more theatrical, attempting to recreate a scene rather than relying on storytelling...The deep affection that the two of them have for each other shines through everything.” Full Review
for a previous production “Pioneering in its intimacy and yet unapologetically heartwarming, Ravi Jain’s play is a beguiling blend of old and new styles, which fits the material beautifully…The layers upon layers of performance that take place within any family constellation, on and off the stage, take on invigorating life here. But Ravi’s performance suffers in surprising ways from Asha’s presence…Set against Asha’s unforced charm, these techniques can come across as overly scripted.” Full Review
See it if Like interesting, clever slice of theater. Well written, well performed. And funny.
Don't see it if You are dull and not a fan of original work
See it if You want to see a heart-warming, hilarious and honest real time meditation on love.
Don't see it if I dunno. See it.
See it if You want a good laugh and are open to a completely different style of performance told from the heart with chai and samosas
Don't see it if Aren't open minded to other cultures
See it if You like the most absorbing, heart-warming, honest and passionate performances in NY today by two surprising performers, a mother and son;
Don't see it if You want shallow, boring, insignificant, predictible shows!
Also This is a must see- run,don't walk, to get tickets show! Surprising, h... Read more Read less
See it if You have any interest in cultural clashes between mother and son. This delightful duo banters for the entire show and its really hilarious.
Don't see it if You have no heart or interest in Indian culture. Its a sweet discourse - not a play in the usual sense - and its very charming and funny. Go
See it if you enjoy plays dealing with different cultures and family relationships. Clever writing. Asha Jain, an unprofessional actress, is a gem!
Don't see it if you are not interested in other cultures or family politics. This play is a real gem from Soulpepper! Do Not Miss It!!!!
See it if You like parent-child adult relationships dealing with change
Don't see it if You don't like family relationships
See it if If you want to see a funny heart warming story about a mother son relationship. Must see.
Don't see it if There is no reason not too see this, unless you only want to see a musicals!
See it if You like human interest stories told in an extremely funny, witty way. This two person narrative was very funny... mom was exceptional!
Don't see it if You don't like a 2 person play. This was extremely well done.
See it if The charming banter between a son and mother over the son's failure to wed and the family's efforts to fix that is sufficient entertainment
Don't see it if You need traditional multicharacter play with suspenseful plot and elaborate staging.
See it if You want a charming, sweet story told by mother and son. You will laugh at the humor and warm-heartedness. Bravo! Loved it!
Don't see it if No reason not to. Everyone will enjoy this...unless you have no soul that is...
See it if You have ever had a mother.
Don't see it if You don't want to laugh at a simple lovely production.
See it if What a happy show! A wonderful play that reveals the commonalities of all cultures and families from one family's point of view.
Don't see it if There is no reason to not see it - Ahsa steals the show!
See it if You love good storytelling and are open to see how a very specific culture has lots of resonance with other cultures.
Don't see it if You want a traditional story with a plot
See it if you want to feel touched and spoken to and charmed and warm and fuzzy. you want to see a spin on family drama. you like snacks.
Don't see it if you have no soul, you don't like snacks.
See it if You like sharp funny sort of semi-autobiographical stories especially if you like to learn about what's probably a different culture to you.
Don't see it if You don't like being treated as an invited guest, treated graciously and told a lovely story about an Indian family's experience (the son).
See it if So sad this has ended. What a tour de force by Ravi and his mother. Funny, touching, educational and wonderfully staged. Just superb
Don't see it if you don't like live unscripted reality theater with two wonderfully matched protagonists. You really missed something very good.
See it if you enjoy warm, funny mother-son stories played by the actual people it happened to, you'd like to learn about wedding customs in India
Don't see it if you don't like immigration stories or those that involve religious customs other than your own, you have mother issues-so maybe you should!
See it if You want a genuine, charming story about finding love & understanding through a culture clash between Indian parents & their Canadian son.
Don't see it if Unless you just don't like memoir stories, there's no reason to miss this.
See it if You want to laugh for an hour and a half straight (with a few heartwarming moments here and there too) because of a hilarious mother/son duo
Don't see it if You dislike indian culture and possible accents
Also This show is a must-see before they leave at the end of July!! They ev... Read more Read less
See it if you enjoy fresh new comedies with an excellent script and unconventional actors. Such a treat! We couldn't stop laughing.
Don't see it if You need pomp and a big production.
See it if You enjoy a warm, funny and endearing story told by a real mother and son about marriage in the Indian culture.
Don't see it if You need more than storytelling or you are not interested in Indian culture.
Also This play is a delight! Another winning play brought by Soulpepper! Th... Read more Read less
See it if you want to be drawn into 'real' dramatization of a families multicultural, multigenerational story.
Don't see it if You want fancy sets, a typical story line
Cast & Creatives (8)
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