Living in Peru : your everyday companion

By Diana P. Olano

Nestled in the bohemian district of Barranco is the Centro Cultural Teatro Mocha Graña. Like with most buildings in this neighborhood, the theater is located inside a two-story colonial house, so at first glance, you wouldn't think it was venue that holds seasonal productions. And the theater's main hall, which is home to the actors who every weekend until July 20th put on "Los àrboles mueren de pie", only seats 100.

However, as humble as this setting may be, what matters in the end is the quality of the pieces being performed, and of course, those who bring them to life. Such is the case with this Alejandro Casona story currently featured at Teatro Mocha Graña.

Names aren't important in this play, same with location. The audience is able to distinguish that it's taking place sometime in the 1940's thanks to the costumes and hairstyles worn from that era. And that's just fine and dandy because there's a central theme in this play which takes front and center from the very beginning.

We learn about some do-gooder company which white-lies its way into the lives of hundreds of people. They've been contracted to impersonate so-and-so in order to make another person believe what the other wants them to. Sorry for being so vague, but really, that's how my brain functioned for the first half hour of the play. Not that it's a bad thing because like I said, detail aren't important in this production of "Los àrboles mueren de pie".

Eventually we meet a young woman who is "tricked" into applying for a job at this business. She, her boss and an older man who accompanied her to the site, then begin their story together. The older man, who has made a living out of lying to his wife about their delinquent grandson, is in dire need of help. He has made his grandson an up-standing man and citizen all for his wife's eyes. And now, with an actual impending visit from the bitter grandson he cast away years ago, he's looking to keep the lie alive in any way possible.

What follows is a week of lies, truths and everything in between. The characters struggle to look for answers in this made-up world they've created. How far would you lie to make someone else happy? When is a white lie in the same league as a usual one? Why is it so much easier to just tell the truth?

As a firm-believer in the blunt truth, the ideas behind this story re-affirmed what I thought but also made me question it. The end of the play was particularly insightful, but unfortunately, I can't say why without giving it away.

In terms of acting, if I was the director, I couldn't have asked for a better cast. Each individual was very believable, and some of the protagonists were simply incredible in their performances. Confrontations between the young woman and her boss are particularly intriguing to watch, as they each fight this truth v. lie war from opposing sides.

And though I'm making this play come off as very dramatic, trust me when I write that it had the perfect amount of comedic relief. "Los arboles mueren de pie" is the kind of production you can enjoy if you've seen 50 plays in your lifetime or five. I recommend it to anyone who is an an avid theater-goer or if this will be their first taste of the stage.






Los arboles mueren de pie

Fridays - Sundays, until July 20, at 8 p.m.
Teatro Mocha Graña - Av. Saenz Peña 107, Barranco
Tickets available at Teleticket


Author: Alejandro Casona
Director: LuBios
Actors: Rosa Wunder, Ricardo Cabrera, Claudio Calmet, Renzo Cruz, Biviana Goto, Miriam Guevara, David Huamán, Alejandro Linián, Lupe Merino, Cinthya Pérez and Oscar Ugaz.