The Life and Times of Chai

I'm not a theatre critic, nor will I ever put myself out there as a critic. I am a theatre viewer, since I love going to various plays and enjoy learning about myself, the arts, and the cause through the actors and characters.

'Capers was an amazing play. As elementary as it sounds, I haven't seen a play that touches on so many issues, does character development, and makes the viewer walk away with a sense of concern and belief for DC low income housing. And all of this done through one woman. ONE.

The play highlights three women who are dealing with the HOPE VI federal program for public housing. The federal program sought to move public housing tenants to other projects so that the DC Housing Authority could redevelop the area. Of course that meant that the neighborhood would be torn apart, children would have to go to different schools, and moving, as we all know, is not fun. The actor, Anu Yadav, depicts these three women and their struggles: one is addicted to drugs but is brilliant and passionate, another is a mother of two children and works two jobs, and the third is a grandmother who takes care of her grandchildren. Anu also acts out three children. The children were involved in a writing workshop, which Anu, in real life, held at the public housing complex. At that Rec center, the children wrote about the forced eviction and move through poems, novels, and short stories. She showed that the children wanted to get involved in the process, and they did! They would call the Housing Authority every day to put pressure on the agency NOT to tear down the Rec Center because where would the kids go?

Anu does an excellent job depicting the voices, the faces, the tears. Really, I don't know how these actors do it. In the past two weeks, seeing two very different actors (Eve Ensler and Anu) work through several different characters blows my mind. I try to do an accent and I always sound Irish Indian. Anyway, point being that the actor is very talented and I am excited to see what her next piece is and where she goes.

Since I have worked in landlord/tenant law at a clinic, I felt and understood many of these characters. Many of her characters I worked with, I heard their stories, I saw them cry, I saw them get angry, I saw their children. Most of the people who came in at least knew, at some point, that they were being evicted and/or had court cases. My eyes watered through her play. I feel overwhelmed from time to time. There are so many plights that I want to get involved with or be knowledgeable about, but I know I can't because of time restraints. But, the good part is that there are others who get involved and make it their issue and passion, like Anu.

BUT, housing is all of our issues. Those of us who live in NorthWest, in Virginia, in Maryland live in a bubble. We don't see how gentrification affects those who are getting kicked out or bought out for people like me to live in their areas. I encourage all of you to go see this play. It's playing until next Sunday. Not only are you supporting an independent theater company, but you are supporting those who voices are rarely heard. And this play shows exactly how voices are silenced and how people continue to fight through talk.