Toronto Fringe Review: Yoga for Billionaires

Yoga for Billionaires is a satirical view of enlightenment in an immersive format, and an overall good time. The premise, a yoga retreat where you, the audience/student, are meant to align with billionaires both spiritually and financially, is taken to its most serious degree and ultimately to comedic effect. The play starts with the lowly, if not astute, “assistant” grumpily setting up the “classroom” where finally the guru, in striking white, appears to teach her lesson.

Saraji (Sara Raj) comes on stage as a captivating presence and immediately jolts our expectations by showcasing characteristics unbecoming of a guru, including not knowing the names of the different kinds of enlightenment. The temple staff person’s presence, whose backstory is never fully explained, peppers in the most cynical view the audience might share, in contrast to the single-mindedness of Saraji and her love of money and status.

The play is overall entertaining, and both actors do their best to keep the audience involved, and engaged with physical games, including yoga stretches. It did leave me wondering, to what end? At times, the POV was a little unclear. Are we roasting the students and their gullibleness to attain “financial nirvana” or the naked greed of these gurus who are openly taking advantage of the market’s desire for personal growth, especially in “ancient” wisdom format? Perhaps the aim is somewhere in between, but the lack of specificity in the target left this audience member craving a little more tooth in the bites. However, I laughed and was impressed with both actors' magnetism and playfulness. I recommend checking out “Yoga for Billionaires” for yourself, playing at the Tarragon Theatre.

Yoga for Billionaires is on now until July 14 at the Toronto Fringe. Show times and tickets.