Yogi G stretches comedy muscles

There are a number of advantages to taking on the chores of both writer and performer.

First and foremost, of course, is the fact that no other performer can possibly be as close to the material as the person who wrote it in the first place. If a certain emphasis was intended here, a slight ironic raising of the eyebrow there, who better to serve up these nuances than the writer who dreamed them up?

In shows last weekend at the Unitarian Universalists Congregation of the South Fork—and apparently at the premiere as well—Geoffrey Paul Gordon’s performance piece, “Kahmic Yoga with Yogi G,” certainly benefited from this creative overlap in conception and execution.

In interviews, Mr. Gordon has suggested that the character of Yogi G, which he plays, showed up after the playwright and teacher began piecing together his sendup, but on Saturday night it was almost impossible to tell whether the material spawned the character or the character was responsible for generating the bulk of the material.

“Kahmic Yoga” pokes gentle fun at the current popularity of yoga among people whose lives and lifestyles comprise the ying that stands in stark contrast to the yang of Eastern wisdom. Targets of impish Yogi G’s humor include, among others, vanity, sexual politics, the commercialization of spiritual messages, misguided self-image, and taking oneself too seriously.

Tipped with humor, his arrows, which more often have suction cups on the ends than sharp points, include puns—lots of puns—personification of body parts and bodily functions, and shameless self-promotion, all delivered in the mock sub-continent accent of a dime-store guru.

If there is any drawback to having one person serve as both writer and performer, it was not apparent from the response that Yogi G got from a laughing and smiling sold-out house on Saturday. And if the piece might, in fact, benefit from some judicious editing by a person with a more objective perspective, Mr. Gordon’s immersion in the role and commitment to the character made for the kind of spirited delivery that can more than compensate for any quibbles one might have with the material or running time of the show.

Bolstered by the support of “Kahmic Yoga” devotees on the East End, Mr. Gordon/Yogi G will be taking his practice on the road, performing two dates at Don’t Tell Mama at 343 West 46th Street in New York City, on Saturday, October 25, at 8:30 p.m., and Sunday, November 16, at 5:30 p.m. For ticket information, visit donttellmamanyc.com.

Meanwhile, Yogi G will return to the Sanctuary of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the South Fork at 977 Bridgehampton-Sag Harbor Turnpike on Saturday, October 18 at 8 p.m. for another demonstration of “Kahmic Yoga.” Tickets are $15, available at the door and by calling for reservations, 631-899-3181.