by Tracey Paleo, Gia On The Move

Love is a many-splendored thing.

A sweet story that needs a lot of work, directionally and could use a tweak in casting, The Desperate Yogi comically takes us along the ride of one man’s journey for self-realization while looking for a cure for HIV. Randy (Damien Diaz) is certain that ultimate happiness and fulfillment for him only lies in a cure.  The gods are ready to help, just not in the way he wants.  He is nevertheless determined to take them all to task for the answers he is driven to have. 

As his inner conflict ensues, he is challenged behind the scenes by his Yogi master from whom an approval of his yogic/spiritual training has been his lifelong but put-on-hold wish. And, on the surface he is given message after message from a dear friend and a new lover, and by the mother goddess Kali/Parvati to give in and accept not the reality of his life but the beauty that he cannot seem to recognize in it – especially the beauty within himself.   The answers have been there all along. But it takes a lot of disappointment to finally reach his enlightenment. 

The Desperate Yogi very much attempts to honor an ancient spirituality in a modern form, which is a reason to experience this piece.  You will truly enjoy the visitations from the gods and the concept of this piece.  The actual production is ambitious and although it is endowed with some lovely talent, it could dig a lot deeper.

Mixed.