Wax dummy

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A new off-Broadway play about a desi student’s loss of innocence is running off-Broadway through Feb. 25. Huck & Holden refers, of course, to two iconic characters in American lit (thanks, SD).

Here’s a positive review:

Navin’s story begins deceptively, as a collegiate, slapstick coming-to-America tale about a young man just arrived from Calcutta, who’s as clueless about American literature as he is about sex. But as Navin (Nick Choksi) begins exploring his newfound independence, and his burgeoning feelings for the pretty young librarian Michelle (Cherise Boothe), the story transforms into one of unexpected soul and depth…

And, of course, there’s Kali, fancifully realized here as the embodiment of chaos working to establish order, and dazzlingly portrayed by Nilaja Sun. Her careful steps, strenuously stylized hand gestures, and ugly-meets-beautiful dance to cover Navin and Torry’s fisticuffs make her a hilarious and horrifying joy to watch. [Link]

And one more faint:After discovering Navin with a porn mag called Brown Honey, Torry teaches him how to wax a girl’s @ss

Navin’s introduction to the American way of life is explored almost solely through sex, particularly as embodied in the person of Michelle (Boothe), an African-American library worker who befriends Navin while undergoing a breakup with her tough-guy boyfriend Torry (McClain). There is obvious comic potential in this particular culture clash, but the action coasts entirely on the undignified level of racial burlesque, replete with a contrived scenario in which Torry, after discovering Navin with a porn mag called Brown Honey, proceeds to give the naïve Indian a tutorial in how to wax a girl’s ass…

Michelle receives visitations from the Hindu goddess Kali (Nilaja Sun), incarnated here as a trash-talkin’ mama whose caricature, if borderline offensive, at least breathes some life onto the stage. Still, if you’re not fond of stereotypes, do yourself a favor and read some Twain and Salinger instead. [Link]

Huck & Holden, Cherry Lane Theatre, 38 Commerce St., Manhattan; through Feb 25, Tue – Fri at 7pm, Sat at 3pm and 7pm; buy tickets

8 thoughts on “Wax dummy”

  1. NavinÂ’s story begins deceptively, as a collegiate, slapstick coming-to-America tale about a young man just arrived from Calcutta, whoÂ’s as clueless about American literature as he is about sex.

    …adapted from the NY Times Book of the Year “The Inscrutable Bongs”.

    after discovering Navin with a porn mag called Brown Honey, proceeds to give the naïve Indian a tutorial in how to wax a girl’s ass…

    Yeah, he’s gonna take it to the car wash!

  3. Really lousy turban alert. Shudder. If you’re going to make an actor dress like that, you might as well have him rub brown shoe polish all over his face. It would be just as authentic and give him a more distinguished mien.

  4. Ah, this explains the turbanned figure:

    There follow a couple of cute scenes in which Navin is “visited” by “Holden Singh,” an amalgam of the hero of Salinger’s novel and an old friend from Calcutta. This fantasy figure is essentially Fonzie to Navin’s Richie Cunningham, helping the shy and inexperienced Navin plot out his courtship of Michelle. Now, I was looking forward to a second version of the spectral “Singh,” perhaps in overalls and a straw hat, once Navin started reading his Mark Twain—but such does not come to pass… “Holden Singh” suggests that Navin try to steal Michelle’s necklace from her tough-guy boyfriend Torry, which leads to a silly scene in which Navin pretends to be a pizza delivery guy who just happened to pick up one of Torry’s porn magazines, which leads to a rather crude sequence in which Torry teaches Navin about “ass-waxing.” Eventually, the Hindu goddess Kali shows up, and things really start to defy credibility [Link]

    I just threw in the line about Kali because I liked it.

  5. Hmmmm … turbanned Fonz … must practice looking in the mirror and saying “aaaaay”. Oh, did I say that last bit out loud?

  7. “…proceeds to give the naïve Indian a tutorial in how to wax a girlÂ’s assÂ…”

    LOL ! “Think of it as a fine double-sided chocolate ramBUTTan…”