THE ANTI 'YOGI' Will Come to the Soho Theatre in May
Performances will run 6 – 16 May.
Based on her experiences of being the only person of Indian heritage in yoga instruction classes full of white, spandexed Americans, Mayuri Bhandari explores the Westernisation and capitalisation of yoga. Through dance, poetry, live percussion and projections, Mayuri takes audiences back to yoga's roots, poking fun at those who call themselves ‘yogis' because they've done a stretch class, drink turmeric lattes and say ‘Namaste'. Mayuri performs as Kali, the Hindu goddess of death, who's come to Earth but her journey gets lost in translation when she mistakes modern yoga culture for a battlefield – not the annihilation she expected. Multi-roling, Mayuri recounts the microaggressions she's faced as a South Asian Jain woman, and times when she's been corrected on her own heritage. Taking on wellness capitalism, The Anti “Yogi” is about liberation, not lululemon.
Mayuri Bhandari is an award-winning Indian American actor, professional dancer, figure skating champion, and yoga professor living in LA, who has appeared in popular Indian TV shows such as Dare 2 Dance and Just Dance (Star Plus). Other credits include The Lincoln Lawyer (Netflix), Hacks (HBO), Ms. Marvel (Disney). The Anti “Yogi” is her first theatre show, which premiered at the Hollywood Fringe in 2024 where it won Dance & Physical Theatre Hollywood Fringe Festival,and played Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2025 where it won an Asian Art Award for Outstanding Solo Performer (Female).
Mayuri Bhandari said, “Our show is to be felt, not just intellectually understood. At its core, The Anti “Yogi” is a call to action, not only to reflect a mirror back, but to call out our own ignorance through humor and depth. To bring this show from Edinburgh Fringe to London for its West End Premiere at Soho Theatre has been surreal. We have such an incredible, growing community both on and offline, and having the chance to include London and its massive South Asian community in this conversation is a huge milestone for our production. It's a show for everyone. We can't wait to see how the energy of London shapes this living, breathing story.”
Shyamala Moorty is an esteemed director, choreographer, and dramaturg. She has toured internationally as a founding member of the Post Natyam Collective and draws on dance, theatre, multimedia, and community engagement. Other solo show credits include: Homeless in Homeland, Grandma's Hands (TeAda Productions), and Madras Postcard.
D'Lo is a queer/trans Ilangai Tamil-American actor, writer and comic. He is a teacher, mentor and producer for writers working in film and theatre. His solo shows have toured theatres and festivals internationally, including a 2022 run at CTG's Kirk Douglas Theater of To T, or not To T?..
Neel Agrawal is a percussionist performing with leading musicians including L. Shankar, Lord Huron, and Young the Giant. His groundbreaking arts, education, and justice work has received generous support from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, the U.S. State Department, the Center for Cultural Innovation, and Harvard University. He currently serves as Director of Percussion at the Los Angeles International Music and Arts Academy.
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