Muthaland

by MINITA GANDHI

The brave adventures of a young woman whose life is forever changed on a trip to India where she unearths family secrets, encounters a prophet, and ultimately discovers her voice within a culture of silence. The familiar and the foreign swap roles in this dark comedy about culture, identity, spirituality, and sexuality. This play is inspired by true stories.
In 2014, while foraging through her parents’ basement...

The brave adventures of a young woman whose life is forever changed on a trip to India where she unearths family secrets, encounters a prophet, and ultimately discovers her voice within a culture of silence. The familiar and the foreign swap roles in this dark comedy about culture, identity, spirituality, and sexuality. This play is inspired by true stories.
In 2014, while foraging through her parents’ basement, she discovered her father’s worn suitcase from his very first journey to the United States, with a single statement scribbled in black Sharpie on the back of the bag: “When I die, discard this bag if you like, until then it stays.” This sparked a curiosity about her parents’ life journey and led to vulnerable interviews where they shared stories from their history they had never spoken of before. The telling of these stories began to bridge the cultural and generational distance between her and her family. Gandhi then realized by weaving their stories with her own life-changing journey to India in 2009 for her brother's arranged marriage, she had a powerful story she had to share with the world. Muthaland shares the magic of her journey to India, full of prophets, ritual, and the convergence of American and Indian cultures.

After the first table read in 2015 a documentary entitled “India’s Daughter,” from BBC about the fatal gang rape of a young woman in New Delhi was banned because the Indian government felt it would “defame” India. Minita realized she could no longer treat the topic of sexual violence as a “bad dream.” She felt empowered to share her own experience with the world. It is Minita’s hope that Muthaland will bring love, laughter, hope to the community and bridge cultural and generational gaps regarding the culture of silence surrounding sexual assault and cultural identity.

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Muthaland

Recommended by

  • James Binz: Muthaland

    I felt that I was along on every step of Mina's journey both literal and spiritual. This is a very powerful monologue and uniquely told. The challenges, trials and cultural moments are so well told! I was fascinated with the way she is able to navigate a very old ethnic life with a very modern one. Her desire for fulfillment is strong and the playwright is very skilled at giving and taking away opportunities for a happy ending. Although this would be a terrific part of a Bollywood style evening - even non Indians can enjoy. Brava!

    I felt that I was along on every step of Mina's journey both literal and spiritual. This is a very powerful monologue and uniquely told. The challenges, trials and cultural moments are so well told! I was fascinated with the way she is able to navigate a very old ethnic life with a very modern one. Her desire for fulfillment is strong and the playwright is very skilled at giving and taking away opportunities for a happy ending. Although this would be a terrific part of a Bollywood style evening - even non Indians can enjoy. Brava!

  • Christopher Soucy: Muthaland

    What a powerful invitation to the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of a truly remarkable woman as she conjures the past with razor keen observations of the vital moments that shape her journey to her present. As a one women show, this piece evokes a deep connection to the family, culture, trauma, and growth as pure reflections of events that have become crystallized within the central character. It’s a beautiful piece of theater art that I am certain is utterly breathtaking in performance.

    What a powerful invitation to the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of a truly remarkable woman as she conjures the past with razor keen observations of the vital moments that shape her journey to her present. As a one women show, this piece evokes a deep connection to the family, culture, trauma, and growth as pure reflections of events that have become crystallized within the central character. It’s a beautiful piece of theater art that I am certain is utterly breathtaking in performance.

  • Nick Malakhow: Muthaland

    An exquisite solo show that wades through identity, sexuality and sexual freedom, sexual assault, gender roles and hierarchies, and more with a combination of poetry, well-timed humor, and potent stage pictures. Gandhi makes excellent use of the solo form to explore Minu's relationship to her intersectional identity and her home (in all the multitudinous ways one can define that word). The early humor helps us establish a rapport with Minu/Minita--her experiences in India land like gut punches. Minu's complex relationship with her identity isn't wrapped with a tidy bow, but the ending is...

    An exquisite solo show that wades through identity, sexuality and sexual freedom, sexual assault, gender roles and hierarchies, and more with a combination of poetry, well-timed humor, and potent stage pictures. Gandhi makes excellent use of the solo form to explore Minu's relationship to her intersectional identity and her home (in all the multitudinous ways one can define that word). The early humor helps us establish a rapport with Minu/Minita--her experiences in India land like gut punches. Minu's complex relationship with her identity isn't wrapped with a tidy bow, but the ending is satisfying and beautiful.

View all 8 recommendations

Development History

  • Type Workshop, Organization NNPN Women in Playwriting Festival at Florida Studio Theater , Year 2019
  • Type Workshop, Organization Silk Road Rising, Year 2016
  • Type Workshop, Organization Victory Gardens Theatre, Year 2016

Production History

  • Type Professional, Organization Great Performance Series at Hope College Knickerbocker Theater, Year 2019
  • Type Professional, Year 2019
  • Type Professional, Organization PCPA Theaterfest, Year 2019
  • Type University, Organization Augustana College, Year 2017
  • Type University, Organization Idaho State University, Year 2017
  • Type University, Organization Ithaca College, Year 2017
  • Type University, Organization The Anne Frank Social Justice Festival, SUNY Buffalo, NY, Year 2017
  • Type University, Organization UC Santa Cruz, Year 2017
  • Type University, Organization University of Iowa, Year 2017
  • Type Professional, Organization Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Official Selection of CAATA, Year 2016
  • Type Professional, Organization StateraArts National Conference at Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Year 2016

Awards

  • Best Solo Performance
    The Joseph Jefferson Awards
    Selection
    2018
  • Best New Work
    The Joseph Jefferson Awards
    Selection
    2018