HOUSTON-Shunya Theater Company presented yet another successful play “Queen of the Remote Control” which premiered last Friday at the Ensemble Theater, 3535 Main, Houston. An intimate audience was treated to a humorous yet very thought provoking play. The plot revolves around the immigrant Shah family who have made their home in California. The play is written by Sujata Bhatt and directed by Anil and Rathna Kumar.

“Queen of the Remote Control” gives us a view into the Shah family’s world through the eyes of the TV-obsessed, teenage daughter Shilpa wielding an imaginary remote control.

The play explores the myriad of unspoken resentment, un-shown affection, hidden secrets and personal quirks that make up this variegated Indian family. A controlling father whose interest in Investor Business Daily and Haagen Dazs ice-cream seem to outweigh his interest for his own wife’s happiness, a son who proudly proclaims his engagement to a wealthy woman so that he can use her money for his own ends, an angst-ridden, self-absorbed and conflicted daughter who sees reality through a TV set and struggles to come to terms with her future, with her family and with her place in it; and finally a woman who patiently and dutifully balances her career, her family and the repressing of her hidden past.

A high caliber of acting was indeed prevalent throughout the play. All the actors have done full justice to the histrionic demands the play had put upon them. Nadia Ali as Shilpa Shah, living in a bubble of teenage cynicism keeps the stage wonderfully alive with her vivacious personality and punch lines. Divya Shah, brilliantly portrayed by Yaksha Bhatt, is all “atwitter” about her son’s engagement and his immediate forthcoming visit home with his fiancée Padma in one scene and an irritated mother confronting her impossible daughter in another. Yet in the next she relaxes into a momentary mother-daughter bonding role. Ranga Nathan, as Ashok Shah, gave an outstanding performance as the father who is at constant loggerheads with his daughter. He avoids confrontation and serious issues with his wife and buries his head ostrich-like in the daily newspaper. The emotional upheaval of pent-up emotions and the past secrets revealed by his wife in the concluding scenes, leave him aghast and speechless and this was portrayed with some superb acting.

Jay Raman as Nitin, the son, and Sara Kumar as Padma, his fiancee enter the scene as a breath of fresh air, providing a contrast to the volatility of the rest of the family. This is, however, not for long as their presence triggers sibling rivalry and of course throws the family into emotional turmoil! The two played their valuable supporting roles very well.

Kudos to the directors Anil and Rathna Kumar for a job superbly done. Soham Mehta, the artistic Director of Shunya Theater, is to be congratulated for his commendable ideal of encouraging youngsters and introducing them to the theater arts. For those who missed it during the last weekend the must-see-play “Queen of the Remote Control” will be staged on the next two following weekends and tickets may be purchased online at “Tickets2Events.”