Performed at unpredictable intervals in the amphitheatre of Auroville's Visitor's Centre, the Academic Genius Brothers' performances may question taste, but packs the house. Like a review of Aurovilian events and foibles, AGBs allows a sometimes over-serious community to laugh at itself. The fact that the show often generates anger and outrage means it must be doing something right.
Starring creators are Paul, Wazo and jesse, and the performance includes regular guest star and rock 'n roll legend, Aurovilian Johnny, who pumps out tunes from the days when music was music and still had words. Paul and Wazo make up the majority of the evening, performing original songs, satirical irreverances and tricky moments of improvisation. Although preparation sometimes stretches to a full afternoon, the show always appears fresh and lively and the performers desperately wide-eyed. Imagine three squirrels in a glass box trained to receive an electric shock the moment they stop performing some little dance taught from birth, and you have the Academic Genius Brothers.
A random performance of the Academic Genius Brothers in Auroville's Botanical Garden:
