How much do you bring to a text by unconsciously considering context, audience, purpose?
The University of Washington Student Newspaper
Thursday, October 26, 1995
Arts & Entertainment
Empty Space tackles the India Myth in: A Perfect Ganesh
Jean-Michele Gregory Contributing Writer
Westerners are drawn to the India Myth like bugs to a light. Never mind India's poverty and grime - the exotic images and people we associate with the country are so intoxicatingly beautiful, so completely foreign and magical that we can't help being mesmerized by our simplification.
Empty Space's production of A Perfect Ganesh offers us a window into that mystical world. The lobby is filled with information about the elephant-headed Hindu god, Ganesh, and a beautiful papier-mache statue of Ganesh by David Duet. Indian music plays before the show and during intermission.
A Perfect Ganesh explores the India Myth. Two rich, middle-aged, jaded American women travel through India instead of going on the same old two-weeks-in-the-Caribbean vacation. Their ignorance and basic Ugly Americanism provide for much of the comedy, but beneath that exterior there is much more going on. Both women are dealing with tragic and painful losses in their lives, and Lori Larsen and Elizabeth Orr give their characters a depth and integrity that make them quite believable and likable. "I want to see India my way," proclaims the uptight Mrs. Civil. But thanks to Lord Ganesh, known by Hindus as the remover of obstacles, the only way the women will see it is India's way.
Ganesh presides over the play just as Hindus believe he presides over us in life. "I am in your kiss, I am in your cancer," Ganesh's character tells us, and illustrates this by appearing as many of the Indians and fellow travelers the two women meet on their voyage.
Director Becca Shoenfeld has done a wonderful job of guiding us from laughter to tears. The extremely versatile Dawson Nichols is hilarious as a nightmare airline attendant and hippie, but he also plays the more serious parts of a leper and a dead son just as well. His monologue, in which he recounts the gay-bashing that killed him, brought me close to tears, and there was a generous amount of sniffling produced by the audience members sitting near me.
Despite playwright McNally's attempts to avoid cliche("I sound like someone from a very bad novel or movie about India," says one woman at a moment edging on triteness), A Perfect Ganesh can be a tad preachy at times. But who doesn't need a good sermon now and then? The overall messages are useful for we modern types: The world can't be dissected by reason and academia alone; isolation does not equal strength. It is up to us to take control of our lives, because gods have very little real power - they gave most of it to humans. And good friendships, though hard to maintain, are essential to our humanity.
Read these questions through in your group and use them to guide your considered response to the article. Work together. If you have any questions or ideas about the article, share them in your group.
What is the writing genre of the piece?
What is "The Daily"? Note its publisher.
For what audience is "The Daily" intended?
Who is the author of the article?
From the context of the article, what is A Perfect Ganesh?
Who is the author of A Perfect Ganesh?
From the context of the article, what is "Empty Space"?
Think about the opening statement, "Westerners are drawn to the Indian Myth like bugs to a light." Can you name examples of westerners who have been "drawn to the Indian Myth"? Conversely, do you have evidence of Indian society being influenced by western culture?
We are not the intended audience of this piece of writing. The writer of this article assumes that her reader has certain backgound knowledge. Talk with your peers about what assumptions are made by the author of this play review.
Site construction begun: 20 September 2001 Last updated: 5 September 2002
Added by Roslyn on 31/7/2001:
The news article on this page was taken from http://www.thedaily.washington.edu/archives/1995_Autumn/October261995/ganesh.html, which is no longer accessible on the www.
