A ‘brat’ in Houston

"Anyone who thinks the generation gap closed way back in the 1970s needs a ticket to Bapsi Sidhwa’s hilarious new play An American Brat. Based on the Pakistani-born writer’s novel of the same title, the charming story, now playing at Stages Theatre, demonstrates how wide that chasm between parents and children remains. Not only is it still here, it crosses cultural, religious and national boundaries and affects us in ways that are both outrageously funny and horribly hurtful,” notes Lee Williams in the Houston Press (March 15, 2007).

The production drew enough critical acclaim and audience response to warrant extra, unscheduled performances, notes an e-mail from Meher Pan­thaky forwar­ded to Parsiana by Bachi Karkaria of The Times of India. The tongue-in-cheek presentation of Parsi family hysteria in Lahore at the prospect of a Jewish son-in-law was often predictable but hilarious nonetheless, note press reviews. They provide a special word of praise for the performance of the cast, several of them Parsis.

At the urging of her husband Cyrus and mother Mumma, Zareen travels from Lahore to Houston, determined to change daughter Feroza’s mind. Though she gets to like David, she spares no opportunity to buy him off, insult him or alarm him with descriptions of elaborate wedding rituals, relates Everett Evans in the Houston Chronicle (March 10, 2007).

Traditional welcome with reservations: Luke Eddy and Rahnuma Panthaky

"An American Brat is often amusing in its formulaic way, especially the initial scenes of the Pakistani clan’s shock, and some later ones… Yet the dialog at times seems merely glib and jokey…

"The fine cast keeps this a good-humored and likable outing, whatever one’s reservations. Rahnuma Panthaky is excellent as Zareen, subtly shading her responses from reasonable to arbitrary, creating a multi-faceted woman convincingly torn between old and new ways. Arzan Gonda is a poised, fetching and outspoken Feroza — very much her mother’s daughter, but a completely Americanized edition. As David, Luke Eddy gives a stalwart and engaging performance, even when tossed some of the more jarringly melodramatic lines,” credits Evans.

"What starts out as a funny look at the gap between generations turns into a moving examination of the way those gaps contort lives and contribute to the seemingly everlasting boundaries that keep cultures and religions apart,” adds Williams.