‘Disgraced' TV Review: Cultures Clashed as Ayad Akhtar’s 2013 Pulitzer Prize-winning ‘Disgraced’ Return Onstage

'Disgraced' TV Review: Cultures Clashed as Ayad Akhtar's 2013 Pulitzer Prize-winning 'Disgraced' Return Onstage

            Ayad Akhtar's 2013 Pulitzer prize-winning "Disgraced" returned onstage on Thursday, Lyceum Theatre, New York.

Audience are awed by the portrayal of two couples onstage, as they set on fire the question of distinctiveness, assimilation and faith. They have to tame their emotions as the 80-minute play began to unfold. 

Amidst the jovial atmosphere expected in a party, the seemingly ruthless behaviour of the casts is emphasized. Before the main course is served and before the dinner is over, the couple firmly stood their grounds and assert their views. Despite the occasional interruption of Abe, the brawl went on.

Spectators can feel a strong sense of a devious plot and they wonder if Akhtar had gone too far.

            In "Disgraced", Akhtar succeeded in bringing to life the behaviours inherent to humans. The party has turned sour over a dinner table as couples engaged in a clash of intellect. As reported in Huffingtonpost, the couples, raised under different circumstances and different cultures deviated from the social norms that prohibit discussion of politics or religion in any social gathering.

The writer's thought and sentiment runs through the arguments of the casts; an Anglo-Saxon Protestant Emily, A Pakistani-American Lawyer Amir, Jewish gallery owner Isaac, and his African-American wife Jory. It sounds like the four corners of the world collide over the plate.

Inconsistencies can be gleaned through the characters, as they fulfil their roles, speak out their minds and argue their stand. This is reinforced in a report made by the Guardian that Amir, played by Hari Dhillon, changed his name to Kapoor and denounce his faith saying that, "It's a backward way of thinking".  He subscribed to Hinduism and calls the Qur'an, "one very long hate mail letter to humanity."  He wants to reshape his destiny, wants to fashion the American ways and ideas and embrace the western world.  Amir is not alone in his quest for change. An art dealer Isaac also said, "You have the same idea of the good life as I do."

 Akhtar is as interesting as the play "Disgraced", if we are to consider the fact that an artist work has his heart in it.

 

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