The Raj Muthiah Mandram, resonated with laughter and applause for over two hours as Chennai-based RJ Balaji entertained a gathering of 1000-plus with his satirical comedy 'Ice House to White House'. Presented by Nippon Paints in association with The Hindu Group, the entertaining evening struck a perfect chord with the audience. Templated like an award ceremony, the satire took on top politicians and film stars and connected well with the heterogeneous crowd. Young and old alike relished the non-stop mockery and humour and responded with enthusiasm and vigour.
Each time a personality was trolled on the screen placed on stage, the audience cracked up into peels of laughter. To start the event RJ Andrews, still popularly known as 'Madurai Maapu', broke the ice with the audience using typical slangs and mannerisms. Balaji took over the show and kept the momentum upbeat till the end. Given how conservative and shy Madurai crowd usually is, it was a welcome change to see people actively participating and interacting with Balaji. Many volunteered to play sport on the stage. Among them were middle-aged men and women and college goers as well. For instance, Akilandeshwari, a homemaker, shed her inhibitions to dance with flair on stage as did Srividya, a student of Thiagarajar College of Engineering. A veshti-clad man happily performed a mono-act and uttered extempore dialogues while young husbands rolled out cheesy lines.
The evening was marked with undying energy. As Balaji and the audience impressed each other, the celebrity RJ appreciated the Madurai public for being 'well-informed' and 'aware'. People remained glued to their seats till the end. It was undoubtedly a big hit.
