FEEL-GOOD SHOW SPICES UP MARIN THEATRE
Marin Theatre takes a flying leap into immersive culture with Mrs. Krishnan’s Party—which opened tonight in the intimate Boyer Main Stage. The interactive comedy is a short, frenetic and very funny helping of what goes on in back-of-the-store India, transported to Mill Valley.
The audience slowly enters a backstage entrance past stacked shipping boxes of what appears to be canned goods. James, an effusive and jewel-bedecked Indian (Justin Rogers) leads ticket holders to seats in a cavernous warehouse of a convenience store. Those who wish to participate get seated around a large table; those who wish merely to observe are assigned “cheeky seats” around the perimeter.
Justin Rogers
James explains this will be a surprise party for his boss and landlady Mrs. Krishnan (Kalyani Nagarajan) to celebrate the traditional harvest festival of Onam. Rogers whips up the energy and laughter in the flower-strewn room, asking questions of audience members as he zips from one end of the space to another. His improv gets the party started by his own manic manner and raucous choice of music.
Justin Rogers and Kalyani Nagarajan
Mrs. Krishnan arrives—none too pleased to find a crowd of more than 100 in her back room. As she attempts to kick everyone out, her staccato accent becomes frantic and often difficult to interpret. Her meaning and gestures, however, are quite clear as she grimaces in her false teeth.
Audience members get into the action, overseen by Justin Rogers (center)
Nagarajan and Rogers, both native New Zealanders, argue about continuing the party in loud rapid-fire Indian patois. Their jokes are delivered like machine gun fire, some hitting their targets and others less precisely delivered.
Kalyani Nagarajan, Justin Rogers and audience
Mrs. Krishnan relents to become hostess as James hands out colorful silken scarves to all. She insists the festival must have food and prepares a huge pot of dal (lentils) while eliciting the help of audience members to find ingredients and open cans, and cut up onions and tomatoes to throw in her pot. She explains how the Hindu deity Vishnu clashed with Mahabali, adding a bit of mythology to the cooking lesson. Meanwhile, fragrant aromas waft through the room as James distributes balloons for participants to inflate and toss around. It’s a party after all.
Audience members join in on the festivities
The thin plot wanders and lags a bit as Mrs. Krishnan reveals bits of her history, sad but hopeful. Her architect son Apu can’t join the party, and neither can her departed husband, whose ashes get accidentally mixed into the pot. James hasn’t yet figured out his future and admits he is still hiding behind his exuberance.
James (Justin Rogers) engages with the audience
These underlying stories let a little air out of the colorful party. Apparently, this is intentional, according to the production company Indian Ink Theatre Company, stating that the performance “…is guided by the ‘Serious Laugh,’ a love of mask and of story.”
Justin Lewis, the director and one of the show’s writers, notes “…there is more to happiness than just a smile, to know joy you must also feel sorrow…” Co-writer Jacob Rajan adds “Party on!” We couldn’t agree more.
photos courtesy Indian Ink Theatre Company
Mrs. Krishnan’s Party
Indian Ink Theatre Company
Marin Theatre, 397 Miller Avenue in Mill Valley
Tues-Fri at 7:30; Sat. at 2 (March 29) & 7:30 (March 22 & 29); Sun at 2 (March 30) & 4 (March 23)
ends on March 30, 2025
for tickets ($47-$97), call 415.388.5208 or visit Marin Theatre
Cari Lynn Pace is a voting member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle.
