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Radar L.A. Review: “Se Rompen Las Olas"

Matt Stromberg |
September 28, 2013 | 11:17 a.m. PDT

Contributing Writer

Mariana Villegas in "Breaking the Waves." Photo by Francisco Barreiro
Mariana Villegas in "Breaking the Waves." Photo by Francisco Barreiro
On September 19, 1985, an 8.1 magnitude earthquake hit Mexico City, killing thousands of people and causing billions of dollars in damage. At least 10,000 people died, but unofficial estimates put the number much higher, around 40,000. This event serves as the backdrop against which Mariana Villegas’ one-woman show "Se Rompen Las Olas (Breaking the Waves)" unfolds. Although Villegas was not born until the following year, this tragedy had a profound effect on her, and she juxtaposes scenes from her own life with stories from the earthquake in a raw and emotional performance.

Based around her life story, "Breaking the Waves" (produced in collaboration with Mexico City-based theater group Lagartijas Tiradas al Sol) is far from a typical autobiographical performance. The narrative jumps between the earthquake that brought Villegas’ parents together, scenes from her childhood and her current relationship drama. As each vignette unfolds, the audience is given another piece of the story. Not until the end do we fully appreciate what she has put together.

The performance distinguishes itself by the variety of methods it uses to tell its narrative. In addition to Villegas’ monologues anchoring the show, video by Carlos Gamboa is projected behind her, complementing her words. The video ranges from newsreel footage of the earthquake, to family snapshot, to images of beach sunsets. The show opens with footage from a morning news program as newscasters try to remain calm despite the beginnings of the quake. And then the screen goes black. To see this and know what is to follow packs a visceral punch.

Villegas has a great ability to convey anguish and comedy through her physicality. In one scene, Villegas dances to an upbeat song by Chico Che: "Donde Te Agarro El Temblor? (Where did the Earthquake Grab You?)" – a testament to Mexico City residents’ ability to carry on in the face of disaster. Her joyous movements turn increasinly erratic and unstable until she is finally writhing on the floor, screaming, and crawls into a child’s tent set up on stage. In another, she recounts a scene from her childhood when a cousin taunts her by mentioning her absentee father. In retaliation, the young Villegas snatches a photo of her father, pins her cousin to the bed and shoves the photo in her face. The adult Villegas plays this scene for laughs, standing on the neck of a doll and holding up the photo as she yells that she made a sandwich – “Mattress, cousin, dad!” Moments like this throughout the show find dark humor in the least likely of places.

Villegas is a captivating performer and does a fine job of engaging with the audience for almost an hour. The narrative, however, suffered somewhat from a lack of coherence. The scenes that seem to depict Villegas’ contemporary relationship struggles were not as compelling as those based on her family life. It was not clear whether these were real or fictional, but they did not ring as true as the rest of the performance.

In the end, "Breaking the Waves" is the story of the earthquake as seen through the experience of one family, and how that family lives with the legacy of the earthquake. Villegas’ powerhouse performance shows how a disaster like this happens at a specific date and time, but that the aftershocks are felt for years afterwards.

“Se Rompen Las Olas (Breaking the Waves)” is playing through September 29 at The Los Angeles Theater Company (514 Spring Street in Downtown, Los Angeles). It is in Spanish with English surtitles. Tickets are $15 - $25. For more information visit REDCAT.org.

More coverage of the Radar L.A. Festival 2013 can be found here.

You can contact Matt via email or follow him on Twitter.



 

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