The Who and the What
Ayad Akhtar's sitcomedy-drama is worth seeing even though the ending sweeps burning issues under the rug. Zarina believes in "who" a person is, not in their "what" (culturally determined attributes). She's a feminist Muslim, but they don't define her, in her mind at least. They do in her strict father's, though. And when she writes a "gender politics" book about who the real Mohammed was, and marries a white man who converted to Islam, the family clashes. The ending favors the "who" of the theme, and wipes out all the nagging "whats" with two catch-all announcements. The playwright frames different scenes with melodrama, psychological thriller, and other genres from popular culture. Under Kimberly Senior's faithful direction, the four person cast keeps the comedy going, though at times at the expense of the pain.
Worth a try.
When
Ongoing until Sunday, March 9, 2014
Hours
| Sundays, 2pm & 7pm |
| Tuesdays, 7pm |
| Wednesdays, 7pm |
| Thursdays, 8pm |
| Fridays, 8pm |
| Saturdays, 2pm & 8pm |