Aasif Mandvi and Sakina`s Restaurant: The Power of Theatre

Sakina Mandvi and Sakina`s Restaurant
Name of Student
Institution Affiliation
Sakina Mandvi and Sakina`s Restaurant
Question 1:
i)Many construed it as a mere audition on a grand scale rather than a play. Critics considered the play as a medium Mandvi used for his gain to showcase his undoubted versatile skills.
ii) others viewed the play as an utterly charming audition with less grit. They suggested that if Mandvi could have employed more grit and less charm, the play would have had more substance. They considered it a simply pleasant light night out undertaking.
iii) others considered the play as one of the many stereotypical works he has done before
Question 2:
A) The world had witnessed Islam-related terrorism attacks, notably the US World Trade Center September 11, 2001 bombing (9/11). After the attacks, there was an increased global Islamophobia, especially in the US. The narrative on immigrants, mainly the Muslim immigrants, had changed and highly politicized to stereotype and dehumanize them. It eventually culminated in the Muslim and Mexican immigrants ban during Trump's presidency.
B) The changes precipitated the need for the play to address the immigrants` plight (discrimination, stereotyping, and inequality) in the US. Mandvi felt the need to humanize immigrants and relive their initial dreams of coming to America once again. He wanted to highlight the sacrifices immigrants make to come to the US, the joys they experience combined with heartbreaks to pursue their dreams. The first Muslim ban and the subsequent images of immigrant families separated at the borders made Mandvi believe that the Trump administration was waging war against immigrants. Thus, the play Sakina's Restaurant contextualized immigrants.
C) The power of art is that an artist can use his storytelling and words to address an issue that affects society.
Question 3:
* Mandvi uses irony when he tells Stewart that the bigots have to be "creative" to come up with racial slurs for Chechens. He points out that terrorism has been associated with Muslims of South Asian or Arabic origin for a long time. This time, the whites of Caucasian origin were behind the bombing, and it should be challenging for the bigots to change the narrative. He pokes in the fun at it when he tries to come up with a non-existent slur, "go back where you came from, Ushanka head." Mandvi is portraying the stereotypes, and racial slurs minority groups and immigrants go through.
* Islam religion is being satirized. The show was inspired by islamophobia, and Mandvi wanted to dispel the fear and stereotype associated with Muslims. Additionally, Katie Couric particularly inspired the concept for the Muslim sitcom initially called The Qu'osby Show when she commented that Muslims needed their "The Cosby Show" versio...