The Mahabharata is an ancient Indian epic written in Sanskrit, the longest piece of prose ever written, which would take 12 days to perform if spoken non-stop. Playwright Geetha Reddy took on the challenge of dismantling this story into an hour and a half solo performance. And J Jha, with direction from Ubuntu Theater company founder Michael Socrates Moran, took on the task of recreating this piece.
Perhaps initially it would feel in opposition to turn this tale into a solo endeavor; wouldn’t it be grand to see 21,000 elephants grace the stage? There’s a plethora of characters that could be cast and a summarized version of this tale would be done in a couple hours. Reddy and J Jha completely deviate away from this idea, and, in place of it, have created their own concept. That concept puts the story in the hands of one storyteller, as so much of history is written and spoken from one person to the next. J Jha creates this space, inviting us into the living room of the storyteller, who then “rolls the dice” on which tale is fit to be told.
It’s said later that fate decides the story, but upon conclusion, the storyteller asks us, what story would we kill to tell? That statement gives us a choice as to what stories we choose to tell. J Jha and Reddy have chosen a selection of stories from Mahabharata that showcase issues that feel appropriate to our times. They’ve also given a stronger voice to the characters who normally have little say or ability to tell their own stories. J Jha slides in and out of these different characters with ease. In other productions, J Jha always shines, even in ensemble roles. Down Here Below, another Ubuntu Production, comes to mind.
Mahabharata wraps up the year for Ubuntu Theater Project. They’ve now settled comfortably into their new space at the Flax Building in Oakland. This also marks the second solo show in this space, following 52 Letters, an incredible one-person show that gave voice to those who have had theirs stolen. Following suit, Mahabharata is another great show with a fresh perspective. We await to see what Ubuntu puts up next.
Mahabharata will be playing now through December 15. Tickets online or pay-what-you-can at the door. For more information visit: http://www.ubuntutheaterproject.com
