Well, as far as I’m concerned, the Olney Theater has been going about the advance publicity for A Nice Indian Boy the wrong way. Right up until last week (a few days before it opened), it was all about romantic comedy, inclusivity, and Indian wedding dancing.
And it is! But then they sent along a video to the mailing list of two actors eating samosas laced with hot sauce, and guess what? There’s lots of food and cooking involved, too. So of course I had to see and review it!
I was not disappointed. Even before the action begins, as the audience is finding their seats, cooking is happening on stage. As the aromas penetrate the Mulitz-Gudelsky stage (Olney’s black-box theater), the mood is set for exotic yet familiar attitudes and situations. The south Indian family faces the universal emotions involved in reconciling with a seemingly-unfit addition and a possibly disastrous subtraction. But I mentioned it’s a comedy, remember? So it all works out in the end. And the cast really gets a work-out in the end, as well.
Naveen (Carol Mazhuvancheril) and Keshav (Noah Israel) meet cute at the Hindu temple. Naveen’s parents are still getting used to having a gay son, so his new relationship might be seen as a test of their traditional attitudes towards a new addition to the family – but there’s an even further complication: Keshav, although raised by Indian parents and culturally assimilated (he speaks fluent Marathi), was adopted as a child. His dirty-blond hair and white skin make him a hard sell to Naveen’s folks, especially his father, Archit (Abhimanyu Katyal). But! They both love to cook! It could even be said that cooking is Archit’s love language.
Photo credit: Ryan Maxwell Photography
Much tsoris and angst (all of it funny, some of it poignant) ensue as Archit and Megha (Lynette Rathnam) struggle with the gay coupling and their daughter Arundhathi’s (Jessica Jain) possible uncoupling from her conventional but unhappy marriage. The funny lines and thought-provoking ones fly at a pace that keeps us amused and thinking. The faintest hint of cultural appropriation, with echoes of Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, and wistful longing for unfulfilled aspirations, keep the action grounded.
Photo credit: Ryan Maxwell Photography
Visual surprises abound, with clever staging tricks expanding the tight (almost claustrophobic) sets. The best gag is the refrigerator door which opens to reveal a Hindu temple – this works on several levels, subtly reinforcing the food:nurture:spirituality axis.
The pivotal scene of conciliation between Archit and Keshav comes over dinner preparation, with Keshav convincing Archit to try some new variations on the old traditional recipes. We can see Archit’s mind stretching to accept new variations on old living and loving arrangements, as well.
And then! The dancing! Need I mention the Best Song Oscar for the wedding dance scene in RRR? There may have only been five dancers, but the energy was proportionally equivalent. A wonderful finale to a wonderfully entertaining play.
A Nice Indian Boy plays at Olney Theatre Center through April 9. Olneytheatre.org
