A Brimful of Asha
About the show
Soulpepper Theatre Company presents Ravi Jain's autobiographical play about arranged marriage.
... Read moreSoulpepper 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.
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"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 “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
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
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 like to explore other cultures, or even just a typical mom and son relationship. If you want more reality than typical storytelling.
Don't see it if If a stand up comedy set up does not interest you.
Also I wish they did not just dwell too much to just one story of parents g... Read more Read less
See it if you want to see something semi-spontaneously performed; enjoy being a part of the show
Don't see it if you want scripted and professional only acting; don't care to learn about other cultural experiences
Also Ravi and his (real-life) mother, Asha, welcomed us to the theatre and ... Read more Read less
See it if Enjoy quirky theater that keeps your interest
Don't see it if Wish for a traditional play
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 like to laugh and enjoy being fed Samosas and Chai Tea before (and after) the show...
Don't see it if you have a hard time understanding a sometimes thick accent...
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 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 generational conflict. Your favorite part of Master of None is Aziz Ansari's real parents.
Don't see it if You want dynamic action. You prefer to watch the story happen rather than watch storytellers.
See it if you are 1st-generation American (from any culture) and have wrestled with old- vs new-country conflict, or love storytelling of any kind
Don't see it if you are looking for a scripted play -- this is a real-life mom and son retelling the true story of a major source of conflict in their lives
See it if you like stories of intergenerational & cross-cultural differences. FYI it's an on-the-surface telling, you won't learn of much underneath.
Don't see it if you'd like a comparison of old vs. new ways. This is really a "new ways are better" kind of show.
Also I've lived in India. When I first moved there, I thought arranged marr... Read more Read less
See it if You enjoy the humor of how 2 different cultures clash between a mother and son. Not really a play but a lot of fun.
Don't see it if You are looking for a straight forward play.
See it if you want to see a cute show with a heartwarming tale showcasing a relationship between mother & son.
Don't see it if this kind of a show doesn't seem appealing.
See it if You want a good laugh this comical show will do the job.
Don't see it if You have trouble with accents.
See it if Humorous family story. Get to love both mother and son, while learning about Indian culture.
Don't see it if Looking for serious play.
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 want a charming, funny story - warmly told by the two actors who actually experienced their tale. Truly warm, wonderful theater.
Don't see it if you want something big and splashy. This is low-key but incredibly engaging and entertaining. Will make you laugh and see universals.
See it if You are interested in conversational theater and love to hear a funny story.
Don't see it if You aren't interested in expanding your definition of theater or aren't interested in Indian issues.
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 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 enjoy storytelling with back and forth banter between mother and son.
Don't see it if you want a lot of action as this all happens at a dining room table.
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 loving, hilarious and prolonged squabble between a mother and son about whether she or he should choose his own wife.
Don't see it if You can't suspend disbelief and see this argument as occurring in real time-it is well scripted -and if Indian culture is of no interest 2 u
See it if You want to see a charming duo of real life mother and son bickering about intergenational " cultural " differences.
Don't see it if You look for a " big " production and don't really care about the efforts of a an Indian mother who desperately wants to see his son married
See it if you like sweet, intimate shows about family and cultural differences.
Don't see it if you want a big production or big cast.
Cast & Creatives (8)
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