‘Conjurors’ Parlor Tricks Deliver Astonishment

March 17, 2021March 30, 2021 michaelhobanLeave a comment

Ran’d Shine of “The Conjuror’s Club” now online at the A.R.T.

By Mike Hoban

“The Conjurors Club” – Created by Vinny DePonto and Geoff Kanick. Presented online by American Repertory Theater through May16.

I can’t say I ever been a big fan of magic, probably because I could never separate the high profile practitioners from the actual craft. When I was growing up, there was the ostentatious and oft-parodied Siegfried & Roy with their white tigers; the cheesy made-for-TV illusions of David Copperfield (he made the Statue of Liberty disappear and floated over the Grand Canyon); and the cuddly hippie Doug Henning, none of which held any kind of appeal for me. What I missed, however, was that magic was never about spectacle, but rather about the joy of astonishment. It’s something that the A.R.T.’s The Conjurors Club delivers in spades – as well as hearts, clubs and diamonds – with their bewildering card tricks and sleights of hand.

‘A BRIMFUL OF ASHA’ OVERFLOWS WITH HOPE

March 16, 2021 michaelhobanLeave a comment

*Ravi Jain and Asha Jain in ArtsEmerson’s ‘A Brimful of Asha’*

By Linda Chin

A BRIMFUL OF ASHA – Written and Performed by Ravi Jain and Asha Jain; Directed by Ravi Jain; Set Design by Julie Fox; Lighting and Video Design by Beth Kates (Playground Studios).

A year from the day that many theatres went dark, I managed to persuade my twenty-something daughter and son that we should take a break from binge-watching tv series and watch a play together instead. These days it’s been especially difficult to find theater offerings that appeal to both generations, align with our values (including diverse stories and storytellers) and have high production values (successfully translating from stage to screen) and lift our spirits. ArtsEmerson was hosting a digital production of Why Not Theatre’s A Brimful of Asha, and from the show’s description (cultural and generational clash, real-life mother and son, some Indian matchmaking, a comedy!) and cast bios (real-life mother and son) I was hopeful this play might be their/our cup of tea.With great anticipation, some trepidation, and a leap of faith, we pressed the streaming link.

“A Brimful of Asha” a Family Love Story

March 13, 2021 michaelhobanLeave a comment

By Michele Markarian

“A Brimful of Asha” – Written and performed by Ravi Jain and Asha Jain. Directed by Ravi Jain. A Why Not Theatre Production presented by ArtsEmerson, livestreamed through March 22.

It is obvious from the adoring and humorous way that Ravi Jain and his mother, Asha Jain, interact with each other that the “cultural dispute” they ask us to help them resolve at the beginning of this hour and twenty minute long play hasn’t broken their bond. As Asha describes their relationship, they are “Two sides of the same coin. Your happiness is my happiness, my happiness is yours…” Despite the sanguine sentiment, Ravi and Asha have two very different opinions about a very important topic: marriage. Specifically, Ravi’s marriage, one that has yet to spring into existence. For Ravi’s parents wish to arrange a marriage for him to any nice Indian woman with a compatible horoscope, compatible family (read: finances) and compatible religion. The fact that Ravi is not really on board doesn’t matter.