Baba, Jee (Father, Yes)

A caveat: I was the playwright’s Mentor this year (with no hand in script or production) and Im reviewing as an audience member, not for Gia on the Move. It’s early days yet for Fringe, but I’ll be shocked if I see more emotionally true moment-to-moment work from an entire ensemble as I did in BABA, JEE. Ayesha Siddiqui’s script is not only incredibly personal, but incredibly honest. The performances by Siddiqui, Chris Tedrow, and Ayman Samman were arguably flawless. Real people were inhabiting that small space in the Stephanie Feury. The direction and staging was deftly handled by Matthew Martin, each moment well-crafted and the choices all clear and engaging. Learn something about great theatre. See this. ... full review

Baba, Jee was captivating from start to finish. The writing had a rawness to it that the actors truly dug into and brought to life. For such a short piece, the characters felt whole and were extremely relatable - there were times I almost forgot I was watching a scripted scene! A spectacular effort by all! I highly recommend checking this project out.... full review

Baba, Jee was a thrill to watch from start to finish. The hilarious premise was enough to get me in the door, but I was further captivated by the timely questions it posed; questions that not all of us are equipped to answer or even able to discuss: What it means to be a minority in America, to be in an interracial relationship, to be a first generation American... Then, of course, there is the far more relatable conundrum of meeting a partner’s parents, struggling to find your place in a city that can swallow you whole, attempting to support your partner in their journey to discover their identity without losing your own... The fact that the author was able to accomplish opening discourse in these and other tenuous subject matters in such a... full review

See this play. Written tense, funny, lovable, and honest, Baba, Jee is like seeing The Humans, or your favorite movie about a dysfunctional (read: your) family. I did not expect it to be as good as it was. It's a freaking gift and will likely move on to bigger and better spaces. See this play. I'm excited for you. A big thank you to the creative team. We love your work! ... full review

This play is a very honest and sweet slice of life portrayal that was extremely enjoyable. The actors connect all on the different levels they need to and the entire script is very universal in the experiences and emotions explored. The characters were rich and interesting - id love to see 10 years later when Baba moves in be a sitcom tv show!... full review

Baba, Jee was impressive to say the least! The writing was heartfelt, and each actor was perfectly matched for his/her role. There are several moments in the play that brought me to tears because I frankly forgot I was watching a scripted scene. To me, that's the difference between watching someone in a play and seeing a performance. BRAVO TO ALL INVOLVED!!... full review

Tender, sweet story, with strong and nuanced performances. Great show!... full review

I was very impressed with the show. Everything from the writing to the acting was superb. ... full review

Baba, Jee is a show that reminds us that family is in our bones. While this performance is definitely laden with tense family drama, it is also full of humor and scenes of such tenderness, one is left overwhelmed by the balancing skill of the all actors involved. Playwright Ayesha Siddiqui crafts such a human story, do your self a favor and make time to see this show. ... full review

Got to see the preview night and the performance of Baba, Jee was wonderful. Each actor really had moments to shine and I was happy there was a scene where each character was paired with the other and we got to see how much they adapted depending on who they were speaking to. The script is really fantastic and personal and as someone who experienced Sandy firsthand, it was a true to life representation of how that felt. We can't choose our family and this script spoke to how as much as it is an individual choice whether we reach out to kin, we are connected in a deeper sense whether we like it or not. Bravo to everyone involved especially to Ayesha for writing and starring in it.... full review