Delicious Onam Party at Chicago Shakes

Pro tip: if Chicago Shakespeare brings a little theatre company from somewhere in the world to do a show in the Upstairs Theatre, buy tickets.  It’s always a gem and will save you thousands in airfare searching out productions that speak volumes about what it is to be human. 

This month’s offering is Mrs. Krishnan’s Party, which immerses the audience in a back storeroom celebration of the Hindu festival of Onam. You are greeted by James, festooned in a bedazzled Indian dance costume, who ushers you to your seats (I was in the Cheeky section) You will learn that Mrs. Krishnan runs a corner shop in New Zealand and James is a distant family member boarding with her as he works on his studies. Supposedly.  The plot will thicken but not before James and Mrs. Krishnan squabble (she’s not thrilled to have all these strangers in her back storeroom)  and negotiate uncomfortable family situations while getting to know the audience and their stories.  Soon audience members will be enlisted to help out in preparations for the party.   Rice is spilled, there’s a minor catastrophe with the the widow Krishnan’s husband's ashes, but in the end we all are part of a celebration of family and connection and in the end if you want, you get a plateful of the fragrant Pepper Dahl that is made on stage during the show.  You depart feeling connected to a roomful of strangers in a heartening way. You might dance. You will find yourself moved in a subtle way to better connect with the people around you. 

Jacob Lewis and Jacob Rajan, the playwrights, are the founders of the Indian Ink Theatre that has brought this show to Chicago. They hail from Aotearoa New Zealand . They  wrote this show, and also  29 years ago created Krishnan’s Dairy a play about the shop featured in this show. This show is somewhat a sequel to the original but in the hands of the actors Justin Te Honihan Pokaihau Rogers (James) and Kalyani Nagarajan (Mrs. Krishnan) you don’t need any history, just a willingness to see what is happening next. 

This production is an optimistic counterpoint to a world that seems dour and divided. So stop doomscrolling and get to the theatre. This show is a short run so you only two weeks to get there to  immerse yourself in this party.  Mrs. Krishnan’ Party is running Tuesdays through Sundays only until April 26, 2026 in the Upstairs Theatre at Chicago Shakespeare on Navy Pier. For tickets and information go to https://www.chicagoshakes.com/productions/2526-mrs-krishnans-party/

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