Living in Peru : your everyday companion

Living in Peru
Vanessa Castro

Written and directed by award winning playwright and actress Mariana De Althaus, Efimero is a satirical comedy which tries to shine a light on the answers to the questions we all seem to ask ourselves at some point.

Set on a minimalist stage where everything needed to act out the scenes is already visible, we are introduced to Lunar (Alejandra Guerra), an introverted soul looking for direction. An urban soundtrack reflects the atmosphere of the city and modern life, fast-paced and somewhat bleak. As the curtain rises on a glum good-bye the mood shifts as humor is found in the tragic nuances of everyday life. Only when all the props are used and cleared away can Lunar’s questions finally be answered.

Searching for Efimero, her cat, who has taken off to make his dreams come true, and saddened by the departure of her friend and neighbor, Lunar begins a journey where she encounters many different women and starts to question herself, her happiness and her freedom. She feels trapped in her own life while everything around her changes and leaves her behind. In an attempt to keep things the same, she takes off after her cat.

Through Lunar’s journey, De Althaus explores her dealings with these women and concludes that the only thing that is permanent in life is its ephemeral nature. But is there or can there be something strong enough to endure the test of time and remain unchanged? And if so, what is it?

While Guerra’s character is allowed to develop from neurotic push-over to a more self-assured individual, the other female characters intended to act as bearers of wisdom at times and comic relief at others do not transcend beyond stereotypes. These caricatures can have a powerful effect, engaging the audience with humor such as the incident with the psychologist (Denise Arregui) who makes it possible for Lunar’s frustrations to become tangible, or crash and burn as in the case of the crudely written scene with the gas station attendant (Lita Baluarte) which presents an oversimplified and patronizing version of an already marginalized sector of the population; the impoverished single mother happy in her modest existence, which seems little more than trite.

In all it is Guerra who keeps the story together wearing anguish and a need for belonging on her sleeve.  She appears as uncomfortable around the people she meets as she does by herself, often out of her element as though not knowing where to go or what to do next.

Lita Baluarte and Denise Arregui transform from scene to scene becoming almost unrecognizable as they turn into twelve very different women while Alejandra Guerra makes Lunar endearing to us in all her timid vulnerability and anxious searching. With solid performances from all three cast members and clever dialogue, Efímero runs at a steady pace which in turn keeps the audience laughing until the end.   
       
Efimero, a finalist in the Asociación Cultural Peruano Britanico’s Drama Competition last year, is being shown at the Municipal Auditorium of San Isidro Thursday through Sunday until October 26th.



Efímero

Directed by Mariana de Althaus

From September 6 to October 26
Teatro Auditorio de la Municipalidad de San Isidro - Calle La República 455, El Olivar, San Isidro
Playing from Thursday to Sunday at 8:00 pm
S/.25 general and S/.15 students and seniors
Tickets available at Teleticket.

Add to del.icio.us |