La vida es sueño, by Calderón, dir. Claudia Ríos. Comedia Performance 2.1 (2005): 287-90.

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ensemble to render Golden Age theater not as artifact but as living theater which uses familiar iconography to dialogue with today's audiences about contemporary issues.

La vida es sueiio. By Pedro Calderon de la Barca.

Dir. Claudia Rios. Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes, Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes, Coordinacion Nacional de Teatro, and Fondo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes. Teatro El Granero, Centro Cultural del Bosque, Mexico City. 13 December 2004. (Play's run: 4 October-IS December 2004.) A. ROBERT LAUER University of Oklahoma Claudia Rios' adaptation of Pedro Calderon de la Barca's La vida es sueho (Zaragoza, 1636) may well be this work's first performance in the American continent. This particular version differs from the Madrid printed edition, also of 1936, in length, lack of embellishment, and dramatic potential. The audience at Teatro El Granero, which forms part of the Centro Cultural del Bosque in Mexico City, was certainly not disappointed in experiencing a truly dynamic, somewhat eclectic, mathematically precise, and invigorating performance on 13 December 2004. There were many reasons why this performance was a success. First and foremost one would have to acknowledge not only the vision of the director but also the excellent team spirit that was noted not

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only among the actors but also among the members of the production company. Everything was timed perfectly well. The small size of the theater was also appropriate for this kind of work. The original music of Alejandra Hernandez created an appropriate somber mood for a work that in effect has no satisfactory or even convincing closure. One could also appreciate small details like the appropriate use of swords for the period, as well as duels that were convincingly performed. Some added pictorial details, among them Hugo Simberg's Wounded Angel, George Frederick Watts' The Minotaur, and Saint Sebastian poses reminiscent of paintings by Andrea Mantegna furnished that extra touch of magic that could easily transport the spectator to the realm of the sublime. The acting in this work was simply smashing. Juan Carlos Remolina as Segismundo could not have been better suited for the Zaragoza version. From the beginning to the end he was melancholy, dazed, and brutish. Even when he humbles himself before Basilio in the third jornada, he makes it seem like a challenge for his father to meet. In a way he seems to be saying: "If you don't think I can be polite and forgiving, watch: I kneel before you." Considering that only moments earlier Segismundo wanted to kill Crotaldo and rape Rosaura, this brave act of humility was certainly in character. In a superb coup de theatre, suggested by actress Mariana Gimenez (Rosaura), Basilio's words, "Hijo-que tan noble accion / otra vez en mis entraiias/ te engendra- , dame los brazos" (232;3.3244-46), are

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prompted by Crotaldo to the King, who, befuddled, is unable to embrace his son. That gesture, coming from a man whose raison d'etre was fear, was most appropriate and convincing on stage. In a way, the father-son conflict so prevalent in Calderon, remained appropriately unresolved. This lack of resolution was also most effective in Segismundo's final lines, where he attributes his alleged change of character to fear and disillusionment. The brutish demeanor of Segismundo required that Basilio, played by famous actor Luis Rabago, be perhaps more humble and melancholy. However, this actor played the King's role as a combination of egomania, political Machiavellianism, and inflexible choler. That notwithstanding, the moments when Basilio would have expressed fear and trepidation become instances of repulsion and hatred . That particular change of tone was effective, since La vida es sueho is a struggle between an authoritarian father who believes in pre-emptive actions and a strong-willed son who values prudence and strategy. The other actors were consistent and persuasive in . their roles. Mariana Gimenez was the perfect Rosaura: manly in the first jornada, womanly in the second, and "monstruo de una especie y otra" (221;3.2871) in the third. Arturo Reyes as Clarin was appropriately cynical and opportunistic. Fernando Becerril as Crotaldo was magnanimous, loyal, and benevolent. Everardo Arzate as Astolfo was a seductive opportunist and a perfect sycophant. Carmen Mastache as Estrella was shown as

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highly cautious, calculating, and charismatic. She behaved in effect as a true princess. Francisco Cardoso , Alvaro Hernandez, and Luis Maggi were shown as loyal defenders of the realm and, when punished by Segismundo, as victims who fall to their knees when they hear the Prince's unexpected punishment. This last scene was very well done, and consistent with the way the characters do not truly evolve, at least not in the way one would have expected them to . In a representation so full of wise choices, the only unconvincing moment was Segismundo' s second monologue, which was replaced by the one of the Madrid version. The Madrid monologue is too long and embellished. It goes well with a more cerebral and calculating Segismundo. The Zaragoza speech, though, is short and to the point, appropriate to a more savage and rhetorically undeveloped character. Claudia Rios' explanation that knowing audiences would have expected to hear a more familiar (Madrid, 1636) speech was not entirely convincing. I could only think of Peter Boyle, the monster in Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein (1974), whose sudden change from initial grunts to grand eloquence was funny because it was so out of character. In Segismundo' s case, the (wrong) choice of speech was, if not tragic, certainly disappointing. Be that as it may, the current reviewer was happy to have witnessed a dynamic and powerful performance of (mostly) Calderon's first version of La vida es sueho as directed by Claudia Rios with funding from CONACULTA, INBA, CNT, and FONCA.

Festival de Almagro, 2004: De las Puestas en Escena al dialogo interprofesional. LUCIANO GARCIA LORENZO El Festival internacional de teatro clasico de Almagro desarrollo su edicion mimero 27 del 1 al 25 de julio de 2004. Como en 10 ultimos afios, el Festival ofrecio los espectaculos en diferentes espacios, a saber, el Corral de Comedias, el Claustro de los Dominicos, el Hospital de San Juan, (sede en Almagro de la Compafiia nacional de teatro clasico), el Patio de Fucares y el Teatro Municipal (unico espacio cerrado que se utiliza); a estos lugares deben afiadirse otros espacios abiertos y cerrados para puestas en escena y actividades diversas: la Plaza Mayor, el Museo del Teatro, el Callejon del Villar... 1 Por 10 que se refiere a los espectaculos, la primera afirmacion a hacer es que el Festival no puede producirlos, por 10 cual los que se presentan son siempre contratados, producidos por diferentes compafiias, no pocos estrenados durante el Festival y el resto presentados en los meses anteriores en Espana y en el extranjero. Esto lleva consigo que la busqueda de una coherencia (ademas del principio fundamental que es la calidad artistica) se vea con-

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