Everyone Is Welcome at MRS. KRISHNAN’S PARTY
The smell of lentils and aromatic spices fill the Emerson Studio Theatre during the Steve Woolf Studio Series presentation of Mrs. Krishnan’s Party, a fresh and creative immersive theater experience from producer Indian Ink Theatre Company and the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. Featuring Kalyani Nagarajan as Mrs. Krishnan and Justin Rogers as James, this celebration of Oman, Indian culture, and the resilience of the human spirit is joyful, intelligent, funny, and genuinely welcoming. Every member of the audience is a party guest, invited to learn, share, laugh together, and enjoy the lentils and rice cooked during the 90-minute show.
Mrs. Krishnan runs a small shop in a New Zealand neighborhood, far from her Indian homeland. She rents a room in the living space adjacent to the shop to James, a struggling university student who is quite curious, creative, and infectiously enthusiastic. Unbeknownst to Mrs. Krisnhan, he’s arranged a surprise party in the back of the shop for Oman, a holiday that holds fond memories of family and community for Mrs. Krishnan. In fact, her son is flying home in time for tomorrow’s official celebration, she reminds James, and the guests must leave so she can get ready for his visit as well as a visit from investors interested in buying her shop. That second point is a shock to James, yet he manages to convince Mrs. Krishnan to let everyone stay for a bit – and she insists that everyone must be fed, and not pizza.
The structure of the play is straightforward, creating space for the immersive and interactive experience of the largely improvised performance that follows. As such, Rogers and Nagarajan completely internalize with the characters they’ve created, interacting and responding to the audience and each other authentically while still telling the story and moving through their character’s relationship arc. The pair succeed spectacularly, creating memorable, fully realized characters with lived experiences that are easy to sympathize with and memorably warm and welcoming.
Roger’s James is all energy and enthusiasm, grabbing onto an idea and running at full speed with youthful confidence. He is excited to see everyone and reassures the audience that this celebration of Oman is for them as well as Mrs. Krishnan. No matter a guest’s religion or cultural background, the goal is to come together and have a joyful experience. Mrs. Krishnan is wiser and more experienced, life has broken her heart a few times, but she’s resilient, with a kind, warm personality. Nagarajan fills Mrs. Krishnan with sighs, laughs, and an incredulous eye roll or two, and each is grounded in the character’s truth, and her dance is a mesmerizing display of strength, precision, and powerful beauty. A widow living away from her home country and uncertain of her next move, she may be stressed at times, but she’s never mean-spirited. Both characters are relatable and authentic, with strengths and flaws that hold our interest and sympathy. As a result, the bond between Mrs. Krishnan and James is built on mutual affection, nurturing care, and occasional impatience that resonates.
The audience, as guests at James’s impromptu Oman celebration, learn the story of the holiday and how Mrs. Krishnan became a widow. And we learn the spices that make a pot of lentils taste and smell delicious, as well as James’s struggles at school and his fears for the future. We also learn a bit about each other, whether that’s the cute couple in the front row, the friendly and helpful gentlemen sitting a little further back, or the woman who’s initially hesitant but then beams with a wide smile as she dances in her seat. The theater space is sectioned, and those who don’t want to interact are able to watch and participate to their comfort level, extending the spirit of acceptance and welcome.
Mrs. Krishnan’s Party is filled with Indian culture, tasty, aromatic food, plentiful laughs, and a deep and sustaining warmth that welcomes everyone and lifts the spirit, reminding us that, no matter our background, religion, or current status in life, we are more connected and have much more in common than might first appear. The Indian Ink created show, presented by The Rep, is an affirming and heartwarming production – and a different experience every performance, making it the perfect mid-winter warm up for audiences of all ages. You may learn a little about Oman and the ways Indian culture thrives in the diaspora, but the real lesson is a simple reminder to take time to listen to each other and find common joy.
