Living in Peru : your everyday companion

By Pierluigi Bellini

'La Prueba' (Proof) came with great expectations from the local audience, since it's one of the most recognized and awarded contemporary plays. Being myself a devoted fan of David Auburn's work in theater and films, there's always a great fear when it comes to seeing one of his plays on stage. It's the cast that is so fundamental in character-driven stories like this one, but as soon as the play started I was very pleased with almost everything that was on stage, especially the cast, or most of it.

This play tells the story of a mathematical family in Chicago and a mystery about the authorship of one mathematical proof that's going to change math history. We meet the troubled Catherine, still devastated by a family loss, and her search for true connection with her father, Robert, also a known mathematician. Across this emotional journey inside Catherine's mind, there's Hal, a former student of Robert's class, who is very interested in his last works, and Claire, Catherine's elder sister that has come all the way from New York to look after her sister.

'La Prueba' is staged entirely on the back porch of Robert's old house, and I have to admit that Magali Bolivar's art on stage was one of my favorite things about this version. It looked extremely real, with a true sense of 'home', and it was well divided into different sections that made even the most intimate chats very dynamic and never boring.

The music by Manuel Munive, obviously inspired by Stephen Warbeck's work for the film adaptation (also written by Auburn), was another great choice that provided a clear tone and atmosphere that took the audience inside the insecurities and anxieties of Catherine's mind.

But as said above, in Auburn's plays, it's all about the cast, and once again, Wendy Vasquez was marvelous. From the very first line of true loneliness to the angry moments of anxiety, Vasquez had Catherine within her veins, always controlled and always believable, with an outstanding range. This is what happens when you can see the character's soul through her eyes and words, making it impossible for the audience to want to look away from her. 

Also great were the supporting roles by Vanessa Saba as Claire and Carlos Gassols as Robert, the father. Saba is known exactly for great delivery of this type of roles, where the controlling, upper class woman has to face the real world and the flaws of her family, as well as her own. She knows very well how to provide toughness and strength with hidden fragility and fear, and that's the mark of a talented and well-seasoned actress. The incredible chemistry formed with Vasquez made everything better. Gassols was a true pleasure to watch providing a new Robert, at least from other adaptations of the play. Gassols created a sweet, tender and very frail father, devoted to his work and numbers but with a true sense of family, recognizing his faults and missteps in his daughter's life.

Diego Lombardi's performance was just OK, and it's quite a pity, since I would have loved to see more chemistry between Hal and Catherine, who was always one step ahead of him. His performance was slightly unbalanced, especially noticeable when surrounded by such a great cast.

However, the play itself is so beautifully written, that when put together with great performances, wonderful set decoration and well-chosen music, you can easily forget the little flaws and enjoy what is probably one of the best works on stage in town this year. You can clearly see that the director Francisco Lombardi's vision is very cinematographic, particularly in the lighting and the character’s space distribution on stage, making 'La Prueba' even more delightful.

Full of great choices, you don't want to miss an opportunity like this to see the heart hidden in maths, and the soul beneath the proof.


La Prueba

Directed by Francisco Lombardi

From May 24 to July 28  
Centro Cultural PUCP - Av. Camino Real 1075, San Isidro
Playing from Thursday to Monday at 8:00 pm
Cost: S/.35 general and S/.20 students and seniors

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