If the city of Berkeley had a Tony Awards ceremony, it would be hard to compete with The Lunchbox in the category of "Best New Musical." This world premiere, directed by the Tony Award-winning Rachel Chavkin, is so extraordinary — its story so compelling, its performers so outstanding — it ought to go straight to Broadway.
Adapted from Ritesh Batra’s 2013 film of the same name, The Lunchbox runs at Berkeley Repertory Theatre through July 5. The new musical takes inspiration from the centuries-old system of lunch delivery in the city of Bombay (now Mumbai). In a sophisticated, analog parallel to the meal-delivery apps of Silicon Valley, a coordinated network of 5,000 bicyclists carefully delivers thousands of home-cooked and restaurant meals to hungry recipients throughout the city. The system is so accurate that a Harvard Business School study conducted in 2010 found that errors occur fewer than 3.4 times per million lunch deliveries.
So it's a bit of a miracle when, in The Lunchbox, our protagonist's delectable kitchen creation ends up in the wrong stomach! Such a mix-up incites a poignant, epistolary relationship between the protagonist, Ila, and her mistaken lunchbox recipient, Sajaan.
Ila is a young mother in a loveless marriage, played by the phenomenally affecting Kuhoo Verma. Sajaan is a disgruntled, widowed office worker, portrayed convincingly by Manu Narayan. A cast of city dwellers, dabbawallahs (lunchbox deliverers), and office workers round out the ensemble, bringing life to this representation of Bombay and elaborating via interpretive dance the themes and emotions that arise in the songs of the main characters.
The show explores serious themes –– death, duty, loneliness –– without feeling heavy. The characters' relationships with one another feel grounded, and their life circumstances are ordinary. It's refreshing to watch a story that feels so real, where every main character is three-dimensional.
Comic relief is provided by a sprightly trio of restaurant workers, whose impeccable harmonies in “Bird of Gold” shine alongside clownish physical comedy. (Their characters may not be complex but the texture they add deepens the reality of the world.) More humor is written into the witty dialogue and personality clashes between Sajaan and Shaikh, a plucky orphan played exuberantly by Aathaven Tharmarajah.
Reshma Gajjar's debut as a choreographer deserves a leap and a twirl of praise. The dancing brilliantly animates the atmosphere of Bombay. Sushma Saha performs a standout interpretive dance during the talk-sung solo of Mrs. Desphande, or "Auntie."
Dynamic dancing and staging is further supported by elaborate sets designed by Mimi Lien. In an apartment building towering over the stage, Auntie lives one flight above Ila and uses a pulley system to send down ingredients while the two holler at one another from above and below. Meanwhile, in the apartment building next door, the orchestra musicians are nestled into their own units, generating the music for this story. Lien’s sets evoke the feeling that this corner of Bombay is always lively, bustling, and full.
The Lazours composed a spectacular score integrating classical Indian music and drumming with clever lyrics cowritten by Ritesh Batra. The musical motifs bring cohesion to the story and remind the audience of the persistent presence of the dabbawallahs — this love story would not be possible without their hard work. In moments of intense feeling, gorgeous ensemble harmonies form a complex musical tapestry with the beautiful soloing of Kuhoo Verma.
Bay Area audiences ought to flock to Berkeley Rep to see The Lunchbox while it's here. Broadway doesn't know what's coming. Once it does, one can only imagine the ensuing scramble to get a seat.
