‘Buddha’ reaches Nirvana

‘The Great Sage’ comes to the stage

 

SO good, its like buddha.

 

REVIEW. In his one-man show “Buddha Triumph and Tragedy of the Great Sage,” writer/actor Evan Brenner recounts the story of the life of the man we know as Buddha in a wonderfully crafted series of stories and teachings that are both funny and informative while also explaining Buddha’s path to enlightenment.

Alone on the stage with no props and minimal lighting, Brenner oozes the enthusiasm of a child in a candy store as he speaks of being “mindfully aware” and of “a state without suffering.” Somehow Buddha, through Brenner, manages to point out that “all that begins ends” and “all that is born dies” while evoking great joy and optimism in the audience.

There’s a lot in this story that most people probably don’t know. As a young prince the man who became Buddha had at his disposal every luxury that every non-royal only dreams of.

Palaces, servants and riches beyond compare kept the privileged royal sheltered from any hint of struggle, sickness or death. But at the age of 29, upon realizing that material wealth did not guarantee happiness, he gave it all up to search for the key to human happiness.

Born 500 years before Christ, Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) was a man who, after much study, found the path to enlightenment and spent the remainder of his 80 years sharing his teachings with others. These teachings were passed on in groups so that no mistakes were made in their retelling. About 300 years later the texts were recorded in written form which is now known as the Pali Canon.

Brenner uses the actual text in his telling of the story and makes it seem like the original path to enlightenment was filled with great humor and great enthusiasm for the journey. If the Buddha were half as charming a storyteller as the actor now telling his tale, it’s easy to see why so many people have embraced these “Noble Truths.”

It’s really quite marvelous to experience. And though it’s low on theatricality, Buddha and Brenner provide a wonderfully entertaining and, yes, enlightening evening of unusual theater.