FringeNYC 2013: Melting in Madras
A naive young American travels to India to explore yoga, meditation, and music. After three months, his quest for enlightenment takes a detour when he becomes ill. Storytelling and live music tell the tale of this confusing and beautiful pilgrimage.
Official production websiteShow details/ticketing at FringeNYC
Review by Julia Lee Barclay · August 18, 2013
If you like good storytelling and want to see a well-done solo show about a subject that now seems cliché after Eat, Pray, Love yet is renewed here by the humility of the storyteller, then go see Melting in Madras at CSV.
It may sound familiar: American goes to India to seek enlightenment and finds it where least expected (in this case in a hospital after falling ill), but fortunately the writer and storyteller, H.R. Britton, has enough self-awareness and distance from the material (the events he describes occurred in 1995), that the story has a power for the viewer as well as the teller. He also has a lovely voice and uses song throughout the piece.
There are many interesting moments, but the most powerful part is his embodiment of when he is in the hospital in Madras when he is attempting to remember a Western chord sequence (for a song he may or may not want to write for his folk-rock band back in Wisconsin) but as he searches for the chord with his voice, the phrases he has been learning in his South Indian singing lessons come out of his mouth unbidden. Through this sequence we can see the whole comic-tragedy of the Western attempt to adopt Eastern customs, but also the potential beauty in their melding together. This section also embodies the show's title, because it is as if Britton is involuntarily melting into this alien (to him) culture even if he is not prepared for the consequences of this disintegration.
There are many other moments where teachings he hears from his two Indian teachers in the earlier part of the show, before he falls ill, are embodied in his experience. Happily, these life-lessons are not too pat or underlined, so they feel earned rather than made-for-self-help-book repetition. Britton does repeat certain phrases of his story, which at first seems simply repetitive, but then this trope makes sense as the show continues as it becomes clear his story is being told as a song more than a straight narrative. These phrases are refrains not meant to simply move the story forward but allow a certain kind of resonance with new parts of the story.
Britton's story in many ways is not new, but he has a unique way of telling it. I hope he gets bigger audiences, because he deserves them and I believe the energy in the room could buoy the experience for everyone. Britton seemed a little nervous to start and I wished he would make a more direct contact with the audience, especially since it is such an intimate space. He uses gesture in interesting ways, but could afford to invest more in his physical presence; his informal attitude has its charms but if a certain rigor were added physically (to complement his vocal delivery, which is excellent), then the informality would seem more like a choice than a default.
Overall, however, it is quite a journey he takes us on in a little over an hour, so I do recommend you check out this show, especially if you are developing a solo piece or plan to go to India in search of spiritual enlightenment.
Preview: Interviews with Artists from Melting in Madras
We're asking artists from each show to answer questions about themselves and their work to help our readers get a detailed advance picture of the festival:
Celebrating Our Diversity · Rajeev Varma (Director)
- How important is diversity to you in the theater you see/make?
Since my graduation from Drama School in New Zealand in 1995 I've had to forge a career as an actor, director and writer of South Asian origin. In my time I have seen more opportunities arise for actors like myself, who hail from India. It's a diverse planet. America is a diverse nation. Our stories and art should reflect that. Diversity challenges our perspectives of who we are as Americans. It reminds us that this nation was founded on an idea as opposed to a singular race. - Who are some current indie theater writers/directors/creators whose work really excites you now?
To be honest I haven't been going to the theater for the last year. I've been mainly working in TV so I haven't been out to a show for too long! - How do you feel about gender-blind casting?
Sometimes it's downright distracting, other times it's interesting. I find I have to be in the right frame of mind when I see shows that are gender blind. I'm usually trying to follow the story so if the swapping of the gender is the focus and it detracts from the story itself I usually dismiss it as a gimmick. - Who are your heroes?
My heroes are people who maintain their authenticity in any situation. People who are honest about themselves and those around them are people I admire. I also love people in our industry who are not blinded by fame and their own estimation of themselves. Artists that can listen are heroes to me. Powerful individuals who exhibit humility are heroes. Generous souls are heroes. The elderly who are hopeful are heroes. - Which cartoon character would most like this show – Bugs Bunny, Marge Simpson, Charlie Brown, or Casper the Friendly Ghost?
I think Bugs Bunny would like this show. Bugs would feel vindicated in his singular devotion to the carrot. That diet would serve him well if he were to travel to Madras. As HR Britton can attest to, the food in Madras can be deadly. You'll have to come to the show to find out what I am taking about....
Gettin' Social · Dawne (Other)
- Where were you born? Where were you raised? Where did you go to school?
Born and raised in Nuevo Jersey, went to school at University of WI Madison & Milwaukee - How did you meet your fellow artists/collaborators on this show?
I met H.R. in college (birthplace of The Onion). - If you had ten million dollars that you had to spend only on theatrical endeavors, how would you use the money?
I would research and develop a way to reinvent the classic travelling carnival for the modern everyperson. It would still, of course, include magic, puppets, clowns, bizzarites (reinterpreted), games, acrobats. - If you're a New Yorker: why is FringeNYC an important part of the summer theater scene?
If you're not a New Yorker: what are you most looking forward to doing and seeing (apart from the festival) while you're here?
It provides an opportunity to experience unique/underground/off-the-beaten-path-but-worthwhile and innovative theater. - Describe your show in a tweet (140 characters or less).
A story about one man's travels in India and what he learned about himself and the culture when he takes a side trip to the infirmary.
Journey to FringeNYC · H.R. Britton (Writer)
- Where were you born? Where were you raised? Where did you go to school?
I was born in New Jersey, and after a brief sojourn at age 3 in Sri Lanka, grew up in Wisconsin (mainly Madison) and Minneapolis-St.Paul. I went to school in Madison - half of high school, and college at the UW-Madison. - What are some of your previous theater credits? (Be specific! Name shows, etc.)
As a writer/performer/storyteller, my main passion is solo work, and I've created and produced a number of full-length shows, two of which I have performed in previous years at FringeNYC. "Jesus Rant" is a serio-comic meditation on my religious upbringing and afterwards (FringeNYC 2007). "The Nose" is a story by Nikolai Gogol about a pompous government official whose nose disappears, and the bizarre lengths he goes through to try to find it. (FringeNYC 2001) I played about 7 characters in this one, too. - Why did you want to be part of FringeNYC?
FringeNYC is a delightful and transormative time -- and it's an honor to be chosen. You get to reach such a diverse and different audience from "normal" theater goers. People (audiences and performers) are in a risk-taking mode... it's a feast of new-ness and the audiences are very generous. - What was the most memorable/funny/unusual thing that has happened during the development and rehearsal process for this show?
"Melting in Madras" is actually the second full-length monologue I've done about my trip to India. Getting to work with director Rajeev Varma was a gold mine, because of his skill as a director, his empathy with soloists (he's a soloist himself on occasion) and his familiarity with Indian culture via his parents. What was also incredible is that through Raj I got an invitation to return to India to perform my first monologue about going to India! The Park's New Festival actually flew me to and around India to perform for a week! So there I was, staying at posh hotels telling stories about having stayed at shoe-string youth-hostels, and having scraped by! It was a delight to be back, very inspiring, and, as luck would have it, I actually got to meet Raj's family, who happened to be visiting India at the same time! - Be honest: how many drafts have you written of this play so far? Are you still re-writing? What’s the process been like?
This show has metamorphosed a number of times. Raj and I put an early version of the show together for the Frigid NY festival in 2009. This version was subsequently structurally revamped in 2010. This was a grueling process because although I liked the original version, it wasn't quite saying what I wanted it to say, and it took many months to figure out clearly what I wanted to say, and then how I wanted to say it. Since then the piece has evolved with each production. I still tinker with the music, and I have a 1-hour version and a 75 minute version, and I keep wondering if I could flesh it out a bit more into a 90-minute version. Luckily the piece is flexible, and not strictly scripted, and this allows it to constantly adapt to circumstances and inspiration.
All About My Show · H.R. Britton (Actor)
- Complete this sentence: My show is the only one in FringeNYC that...?
is a solo show mixing live music, storytelling, and multiple-character work, which deals with a journey to India in a circular way. - Tell us about the character or characters that you portray in this show.
There are several characters who make an appearance in this monologue, for example, my music teacher (who is a jolly and enthusiastic), his wife (who is sweet but a little judgmental), my yoga teacher (who is warm and philosophical) a stern nurse, and a version of myself from nearly 20 years ago (who is sincere, but somewhat clueless). These characters come together in groups of 2 or 3, and part of the fun is delineating the characters so that it is clear who's speaking and how they are inter-relating. - What moment or section in this show do you really love to perform? Without giving away surprises, what happens in that moment and why do you love it?
Of course I love all the characters in the play, and the interactions between them. I also love the musical setting that comes from the intertwining of the raga-sounding guitar work with either singing or spoken word. Music conveys so much atmosphere and meaning, and in a totally different way than acting or spoken word. I find the mixture very evocative, and I hope that the audience does too. - Which school or system of acting has been most useful to you in your career, and why (examples: The Method, Uta Hagen, Viewpoints, etc.)?
I have always had a smorgasbord philosophy when it comes to technique -- I pick and choose from techniques depending on what I'm trying to convey, and the context of the piece I'm playing. - What's your favorite pastime when you’re not working on a play?
This piece combines some of the things I love most - playing the guitar, trying to assimilate eastern tonality in music, storytelling. I also love to play ukulele and sing songs, and I love taking care of my 1-year-old son.
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