"Anti Yogi" Mayuri Bhandari's Brilliantly Crafted Solo Show Is Not To Be Missed
Tuesday, June 11th, Los Angeles, CA
written by Entertainment Editor, Dan Ruth
“I’m not exotic, I’m exhausted,” exclaims Mayuri Bhandari, in her multi-media one woman solo show, The Anti Yogi, now playing at The Zephyr Theatre as part of The Hollywood Fringe. With all of the powers of the great Buddha, Krishna and most importantly, Kali, the goddess of death and creation, Bhandari shares her experiences as a yoga instructor, dancer, and more pointedly, as a spiritual being. I walked into this production not knowing a whole lot about the practice of yoga. I wasn’t sure how much I would get from a show with yoga as its subject, but from the moment the lights went up, all doubts vanished into the ether. Mayuri Bhandari explodes onto the stage with a captivating energy that keeps her audience rapped in awe, as she fills the space with highly-crafted theatricality throughout one of the quickest and most satisfying sixty minutes I’ve ever experienced.
To peel back the yoga mat of this show would require really examining the life experiences of its star. Bhandari, who is a knowledgeable guide when it comes to yoga, is also a filmmaker, a television and film actress, and a history-making Indian National figure skating champion. For matters of this show however, let’s just say that there is a beautiful fire in her heart and audiences for The Anti Yogi are lucky to witness her light in action. Bhandari takes us through the traditions of Yoga with ease, so that anyone can follow along, but she’s not afraid to lambast the absurdist American Yoga practitioners, especially in Los Angeles, who do not follow the spiritual path of Yoga, rather use the mat merely as an exercise in body sculpting and shaping (just wait until you meet Danielle). Bhandari is also an incredible dancer and above all else, Bhandari, who grew up emulating the Bollywood actresses she watched at home, is riotously funny. “I’m a Bollywood triple-threat: acting, dancing and lip-syncing.”
A triple threat she is, and like all well crafted solo shows, The Anti Yogi isn’t all fun and games. There is some sting here. Bhandari is after all, a teacher, and she speaks from her heart about our out-of-balance world, where Western culture and the patriarchy simply take what they want and toss the rest. Applying a bindi, Bhandari illustrates the Hindu spiritual practices of meditation and self-discipline, “the light in me sees the light in you.” Hers is the path of non-violence, which she shares in a moving moment about joining native Americans at Standing Rock, “one of the truest examples of yoga I’ve ever experienced.” The Anti Yogi is a masterful performance and its message has never been more timely. In short, you’re not going to want to miss this show; it’s a standout production that deserves to run well beyond its three performances at The Zephyr Theatre.
So sage yourself and run to see The Anti-Yogi. Namaste.
The Anti Yogi features the incredible Neel Agrawal on percussion and is brilliantly directed by Shyamala Moorty and D'Lo.
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