As the sound of a heartbeat plays over the speakers, Fausto Carbajal (Ric Salinas) stands in a pool of light, bare-chested, covered in gang tattoos. He prepares for a laser tattoo removal treatment, waxing poetic about his soon-to-be-lasered tattoos and the life they represent. “There’s no such thing as a former gang member” he says, “Whoever said that has never been in a gang. But there is such thing as a second chance.”

Paul S. Flores’ profound show, “PLACAS: The Most Dangerous Tattoo,” directed buy Michael John Garcés and making its Los Angeles debut this weekend, follows the struggles of Fausto Carbajal, a former member of Salvadoran gang La Cliqua trying to make good on his second chance in life even as his son,  Edgar (Xavi Moreno), follows in his gang-banger footsteps.

Fausto’s quest to reconnect with Edgar and Edgar’s mother, Claudia “Sparky” Villalobos (Caro Zeller) after fourteen years of separation by deportation and prison is juxtaposed with the laser treatments he undergoes to remove his gang tattoos. Backed by an ensemble made up of Sarita Ocon, Fidel Gomez, Luis “Xago” Juárez, and Edgar Barboza, the bilingual show highlights the struggles of the Salvadoran- and Mexican-American characters and gang life.

The audience is introduced to the underbelly of San Francisco via the family of Fausto Carbajal. Fausto’s son Edgar sees his parents as hypocrites for dissuading him from gang life while being former gangbangers themselves. He runs away from home, violating the terms of his house arrest, and despite Fausto’s efforts is inducted into a gang and given his first placa, or gang tattoo. Fausto tries to reach Edgar by bringing him to his mother, Mama Nieves (Sarita Ocon) to teach him about his Salvadoran heritage and to his tattoo removal session, along with Claudia, to speak to his counselor in an effort to stop his downward slide into gang life. A final showdown between Fausto’s family and Edgar’s gang pits Edgar’s new gang “family” against his old, giving him a devastating ultimatum.

While "PLACAS" was a funny, moving show, it took a while to hit its stride; it wasn’t until twenty minutes into the show that the story really became engaging. It is easy to play the drama in a piece about gangs; what made this piece work were the small moments of humor hidden between intense scenes. Things like Mama Nieves pestering Fausto about marrying Claudia while he is searching for his son, or gang leader Scooby (Luis “Xago” Juarez) expressing his childhood dreams of being a fireman before attacking Edgar’s family are what brings a realness to these characters. A standout actress was Sarita Ocon, who was able to create three complex characters, each with a unique balance of humor and drama.

The most effective technical aspect of the show was Alejandro Acosta’s sound design; during the many soliloquies interspersed throughout the show, a low drone and a heartbeat could be heard, lending intensity to what was being said. The set design was not as successful. Consisting of a pair of flats painted with street murals, the set established the show as being in gangland San Francisco and little else. It was irrelevant during scenes not set in the street and downright distracting during scenes set in the laser tattoo removal clinic.

"PLACAS" is not a show about gangs, or a show about tattoos. "PLACAS" is a love story, a show about how a man’s love for his family drives him to rescue them from the life he has already lost so much too. Intermingling serious issues with quick-witted humor, "PLACAS" is a resounding success, layering every parent’s wish for a better life for their children against the backdrop of San Francisco gang life. As Edgar says, “Tattoos are not showing about how hard you are, they’re about covering up some hurt.” And "PLACAS," rather than covering up, like its namesake, exposes the painful struggles of both gang life and familial love. 

Editor's note: An earlier version of this story misidentified the show's sound designer.

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You can contact contributing writer Molly Quinlan here.