BWW Reviews: The Secrets of THE WHO & THE WHAT are Revealed on the Copaken Stage

From zero to sixty like a fast luxury car is how The Who & The What transitions from a comedy to an intense look at faith, relationships, gender roles, and culture. So sit back it is a delightfully entertaining ride. The Who & The What opened on Friday October 24 at the Copaken Stage in downtown Kansas City, Mo. Eric Rosen directs the new play by Ayad Akhtar for the Kansas City Repertory Theatre. Akhtar's earlier work Disgraced won the 2013 Pulitzer Prize and opened on Broadway this year.

Afzal is a devout Muslim, who adheres to the teachings of the Prophet Mohammad to the extent that he joins an online dating site in his daughter Zarinas name. Zarina reluctantly gave up her Christian fiancé at the insistence of her father. Mahwish is the other daughter who Afzal has already promised in marriage. Eli is the young convert to the Muslim faith who thinks he is meeting Zarina, only to find her dad at the proposed meeting site.

Act I of The Who & The What has the audience laughing so often that a few lines are lost to the uproar. Afzal appears to be a kind, loving father who would do anything for his daughter's happiness. Mahwish comes off as the youngest daughter in a hurry to get her sister married so that she can wed.

Zarina aspires to be a writer, but has suffered writers block for several months delaying the completion of the controversial book she has been toiling to complete. She reluctantly agrees to meet Eli to appease her father and during the course of the date, she reveals the secret of her book. The dialogue is natural and enlightening revealing the potential undercurrents from such an attack on the revered prophet.

In Act II Zarinas objection to the adoption of the veil and her humanization of the prophet through sexual encounters leads to a confrontation with not only her father, but also her sister and the Muslim community. In the second act, the true colors of Afzal come to the surface and are emphasized as he throws a picture of his daughter into a sink and declares she is dead to him. Be prepared and bring a hanky, the second act is sure to bring a tear to your eye.

Tony Mirrcandani is superb as Afzal the father. His portrayal is realistic, bringing out the characters warmth and humor, before turning sharply to a deeper darker side. Mirrcandani who now resides in Los Angeles revealed that this is his first appearance on stage in four years. That means audiences for that period were denied the opportunity to take in his brilliance on stage.

Rania Salem Manganaro stars as Zarina, giving a truly inspired performance. Her facial expressions and body language in act one add to the delightful humor of the dialogue. In act two, the audience discovers she not only has wonderful comedic timing but also can step into an intense character with ease and confidence.

Kat Nejat gives a powerful performance as Mahwish, the youngest daughter who marries the man chosen for her by her father, and later reveals a flirtatious confrontation with another man. Rusty Sneary is dynamic as Eli, demonstrating an array of emotions as he meets, marries, and stands by Zarina against her family and the Muslim community.

The Who & The What is well written, thought provoking, and mixed with an appropriate amount of humor to entertain the audience. The Who & The What continues at the Copaken Stage through November 16. Purchase tickets by calling the box office at 816-235-2700 or visit the Kansas City Repertory Theatre website. Photo courtesy of the Kansas City Repertory Theatre.

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