When Canadian-Indian actor Ravi Jain takes to the stage this Melbourne International Arts Festival he won't be alone. Joining Jain is his mother, Asha, who is fine with him being an actor but not so fine with him being unmarried. A Brimful of Asha is a comedic true story of parents who want the best for their son, even if he doesn’t know it. As the mother-son duo face off on the topics of marriage, modernity, tradition and freedom you’ll gain new insights, as well as lots of laughs. There’s even a cooking class separate to the performances where the titular Asha will show you how to make her favourite Indian dishes.
Melbourne International Arts Festival is back again in 2019, with a stellar line-up of shows, exhibitions and gigs between October 2 to 20. If you’re a festival first-timer the stacked list of performances can be daunting – and even long-time festival fans appreciate a hot tip. The list of theatre shows coming to the city is particularly strong, with everything from rock‘n’roll biographies to a hilarious mother-versus-son verbal sparring match getting a run. Here are four shows to put on your Melbourne International Arts Festival bucket list in 2019.