Reviewed by Charlotte MacDonald
(Mrs. Krishnan’s Party. Photo: Dahlia Katz.)
Walking into Mrs. Krishnan’s Party at The Grand Theatre’s Auburn Stage, I had no idea what to expect.
After being handed a piece of paper captioned “Wallflower,” I was greeted by a vibrantly clothed man, grinning from ear to ear, welcoming audience members and directing us to our seats.
Inside the theatre, chairs were set up around the perimeter of the room, all facing inwards to a table with a single countertop burner in the centre, and a platform draped in patterned sheets stood toward the back, where actors could enter and exit. Hanging from the ceiling and around the walls were garlands of red flowers, and boxes, presumably containing inventory overflowing from Mrs. Krishnan’s shop, gathered around the edges of the room.
From the stage set up alone, I knew this wasn’t going to be a typical performance – and I was right.
To start the show was the same colourfully dressed man from earlier, played by Justin Rogers, performing as James (or self-proclaimed DJ Jimmy J), Mrs. Krishnan’s boisterous and energetic boarder.
(Pictured: Justin Rogers as DJ Jimmy J and audience members. Photo: Dahlia Katz.)
He explained to the audience that it was a day of celebration and that we were invited to join in the festivities of the annual Hindu harvest festival, Onam. The catch? Mrs. Krishnan doesn’t know that all 100+ of us are in the back of her shop and ready for a party.
Within minutes, James had brightly coloured scarves passed around for every audience member to wear, quickly painting the room in vibrant oranges, yellows, greens and pinks. He then began to play loud, energetic music, inviting people to clap, get on their feet, put their hands in the air and start the party.
It dawned on me like the sun that I had unknowingly placed myself at the epicentre of internal conflict for every introverted arts lover: interactive theatre.
Safe to say, as an introvert, I was terrified of what I had just gotten myself into. On the other hand, as a theatre fan with a job to accomplish, I knew what I had to do, and so, despite my natural aversion to high-intensity social settings, I swallowed my fear and surrendered.
The story is set into motion by the eponymous Mrs. Krishnan, an Indian immigrant mother and widow who runs Krishnan’s Dairy, and awaits her son’s return home to celebrate Onam, played by Kalyani Nagarajan. She makes her entrance with a literal bang, as she stumbles in the dark offstage after James turns the lights off in an attempt to surprise her with the abundance of strangers gathered in the backroom of her shop.
(Pictured: Kalyani Nagarajan as Mrs. Krishnan. Photo: Ankita Singh.)
After the audience yells “surprise!” Mrs. Krishnan is in serious shock at the sight of all of us, appearing timid, reserved and mildly furious with her boarder. While her strict, regimented demeanour remains present throughout much of the show, it isn’t long before her quirky, unapologetic and playful side begins to emerge as she grows more comfortable with the visitors in her shop.
A key component of this performance is its reliance on audience interaction. Both Rogers and Nagarajan constantly defer to the audience to decorate the unfolding story, and at times even invite them on stage to assist in cooking the Dahl for the party. Among these audience members of my show were Tom, a six-foot-four man who took it upon himself to help Mrs. Krishnan open the canned tomatoes — prompting her to repeatedly complain that James should be more like him — Kevin from the back row, whose name resulted in loud cries of “KEVIN!” from Mrs. Krishnan in a playful Home Alone reference and, my personal favourite, the little boy sweeping the fallen rice off the floor while laughing at every moment.
(Pictured: Audience Members, Mrs. Krishan’s Party. Photo: Dahlia Katz.)
While I knew this was a theatre performance, at times it felt more like watching a stand-up comedy set from performers who had mastered the art of crowd work, effortlessly rolling with every joke and unexpected moment. What made it even more unique was the knowledge that no two performances would ever unfold in quite the same way.
As artistic director of The Grand, Rachel Peake explains, “Immersive theatre removes the division between audience and stage — calling on the audience to meet the experience with all five senses, and clearly articulating that each performance is unique, influenced by the particular confluence of people on any given day.”
(Pictured: Rachel Peake, Artistic Director, The Grand Theatre.)
The constant humour present throughout the performance also made the more serious moments land with greater weight by contrast. I appreciated that the story allowed for its characters to be more than simply funny, revealing them as people searching for meaning in a world where happiness is not always easy to find.
This becomes even more layered when the reality of cultural displacement is considered, making Mrs. Krishnan representative of more than just herself.
What: The Grand Theatre presents Mrs. Krishnan’s Party.
When: February 25 – March 7, 2026.
March 5, 2026 | 7:30pm
March 6, 2026 | 8:00pm
March 7, 2026 | 2:00pm
March 7, 2026 | 8:00pm
Where: Grand Theatre, 471 Richmond Street, London, ON.
Tickets: Tickets can be purchased online at grandtheatre.com, by phoning the Box Office at 519.672.8800, or by visiting the Box Office in person at 471 Richmond Street (weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.).
Reviewed by Charlotte MacDonald
Charlotte MacDonald is a Creative Writing and History student at Western University. She currently writes about theatre, pop culture, and campus life for The Western Gazette, works as a Digital Intern at The Walrus, and hosts a radio show at Radio Western. Growing up in Toronto, theatre has always been a staple part of Charlotte’s life, and she has come to greatly enjoy engaging and contributing to the theatre community through her writing.
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