Went to see the Rukmini’s Gold, by Radha S. Menon – the winner of the 2015 Toronto Fringe new play contest – directed by Wes Berger and running at the Factory Theatre Mainspace.
An old woman (Rukmini, played by Dia Frid) in a white sari waits alone on a bench at a train station. Clutching a jewelry case and carrying a single suitcase, she reminisces about her life and family. A 12-year-old girl (Maya Huliyappa-Menon) joins her, and she is carried off on a journey of faces, memories and visions of the future. The hardships, happiness and lives of Rukmini’s family play out over the course of many years, across several countries – all bound by the precious family necklaces and bangles she leaves them to remember her by.
Really nice work from this ensemble, most of whom (except for Frid) play multiple characters: Frid, Huliyappa-Menon, Tony Sciara, Vivek Hariharan, Rishma Malik-Scott, Ellora Patnaik and Brittany Miranda, supported by understudy Sindhuri Nandhakumar. The scenes between Rukmini and the girl are particularly compelling and bookend the play nicely. Frid’s Rukmini plays up her age – her “condition” – but she is sharp as a tack and decidedly feisty. Huliyappa-Menon’s girl is precocious, energetic and bright, full of playful mischief. Who she is, I’ll leave for you to decide for yourselves – so you’ll have to go see this.
With shouts to the beautiful, evocative – and haunting – work of costume/props designer Kelly Wolf and sound designer Nicholas Walsh.
Rukmini’s Gold is a delightful, moving journey across time and space, love and family.
Rukmini’s Gold has one more performance at the Factory Theatre Mainspace: Sun, July 12 at 7:00 p.m.
life with more cowbell 