By Mike Fuller
A legendary story of deception, love, alcoholism and self-discovery writhes out of the psyche of the deceased Adolfo Llaurado, portrayed in a theater of the same name by Lester Martinez in Ay, Mi Amor, directed by Carlos Diaz.
A legendary story of deception, love, alcoholism and self-discovery writhes out of the psyche of the deceased Adolfo Llaurado, portrayed in a theater of the same name by Lester Martinez in Ay, Mi Amor, directed by Carlos Diaz. "Did you see that your mother just slept with your godfather?!" raged the staggering father figure with a huge phallic symbol emerging from between his legs, as the confused boy cried in the opening scene "No, that's a lie!"
"That is when I became an actor," documents the voice of Llaurado, a celebrated Cuban film and stage star who died in 2001.
Including the Audience
Carlos Diaz's troupe is called El Publico, which means The Audience in Spanish, and he is a master of including spectators in his plays.
Including the Audience
Carlos Diaz's troupe is called El Publico, which means The Audience in Spanish, and he is a master of including spectators in his plays.
In A Streetcar Named Desire he sat viewers around the actors and in the Respectable Prostitute he intimidated the theater goers with a towering jail cell climbed upon by leather clad prison guards.
In this production there was a huge mirror in the middle of this stage, and at one moment waiters served shots of rum to the audience.
In this production there was a huge mirror in the middle of this stage, and at one moment waiters served shots of rum to the audience.
Carlos Diaz explained to Prensa Latina that he's used to doing bigger shows, but his usual Trianon theater is currently closed for repairs, so he has adapted to the intimate Llaurado space.
The mixed crowd loved the piece, and a man in a dress complained about the almost non-stop photography of this reporter, a grievance taken to heart in spite of the images accompanying this text.
"This is a true story," said Diaz after the show, "about a myth in Cuban theater and cinema. By telling his story we are telling ours, and I think Llaurado was a revolution in theater, in love and in enjoyment."
Diaz said all the text is original from the legendary actor, a monologue recently released by his widow Jacqueline Meppiel, who said in the program that Llaurado would be proud and happy to come back to the stage in a theater with his name.
Llaurado worked with Daisy Granados in Retrato de Teresa, and Profecias de Amanda, both about strong women forging out an existence under adverse conditions.
Rant against Absurdity
The Llaurado monologue is a rant against "absurdity in this country, aiming at distrust and irresponsibility in Cuba, the Heart of Our America," a scathing critique, and rebellious as Diaz said. The piece delves into the darker side of Llaurado's past, like serious alcoholism in his family "my granddad was the biggest drunk ever," and a memory of selling his body to both women and men.
Diaz said all the text is original from the legendary actor, a monologue recently released by his widow Jacqueline Meppiel, who said in the program that Llaurado would be proud and happy to come back to the stage in a theater with his name.
Llaurado worked with Daisy Granados in Retrato de Teresa, and Profecias de Amanda, both about strong women forging out an existence under adverse conditions.
Rant against Absurdity
The Llaurado monologue is a rant against "absurdity in this country, aiming at distrust and irresponsibility in Cuba, the Heart of Our America," a scathing critique, and rebellious as Diaz said. The piece delves into the darker side of Llaurado's past, like serious alcoholism in his family "my granddad was the biggest drunk ever," and a memory of selling his body to both women and men.
The piece also parodies what many here have truly experienced as international travel to the former Soviet Union, for which Lester Martinez bundles up in front of a mock landscape in Moscow and extracts tears of laughter from The Audience. Llaurado's voice said "that stuff used to exist, and now it's gone. But it existed, and without it I wouldn't exist. Maybe I have to wait a little to say nice things but I have faith and I am totally Revolutionary."
That is a cultural more in Cuba, known as "being clear," and even though it seems bitter on the surface the revolutionary fervor is almost arrogant as played by Lester Martinez.
That is a cultural more in Cuba, known as "being clear," and even though it seems bitter on the surface the revolutionary fervor is almost arrogant as played by Lester Martinez.
Bearded Heroes
At one point in the performance Llaurado-Martinez lathered up in a pathetic attempt to shave and stimulate growth of a beard as worn by many heroes of this country.
At one point in the performance Llaurado-Martinez lathered up in a pathetic attempt to shave and stimulate growth of a beard as worn by many heroes of this country.
The recorded voice of a Che Guevara speech filled the theater, pronouncing "we must always admit our errors to learn. We have to be open. Each one of us is responsible for what he or she does and what the Cuban Revolution does."
The actor came clean and said he never could grow a full set of whiskers, but neither could Che, "and I loved him nevertheless. I am falling in love with so many things in you Che," said the voice of Llaurado, "I wish you were awake so I could tell you all."
Authentic Young Actor
For the real Llaurado the two most important things in life were love and acting, and when Lester Martinez sat down after the show to talk about the piece, his love for the stage was clear.
With glowing eyes he explained that sometimes "a script provokes an actor to do excellent work," which he did in a creative way like when he showed a Llaurado memory of a rudimentary asthma treatment as a boy.
Martinez wheezed all over the stage into a roll that inverted him in a headstand on triangulated forearms, simulating being flipped over by an adult and submerged in a barrel of water. He stood there on his head, emitting bubbling sounds, and was totally convincing as a child doing anything possible to overcome the tortures of a breathing disorder.
In the monolog Llaurado wished one could start life old and go backward, going out with a young body and experienced mind, and it seemed like Martinez has done this. His director Carlos Diaz said this was his best work in ten years,
Martinez said he wasn't preying on Llaurado, who he never met, rather he was simply trying to share pieces of his extraordinary life with others.
Prensa Latina asked him if he had any messages to share with our readers and the 27 year-old said "I would say actors cannot be false in life. When one is false in life then one no longer is actor."
Authentic Young Actor
For the real Llaurado the two most important things in life were love and acting, and when Lester Martinez sat down after the show to talk about the piece, his love for the stage was clear.
With glowing eyes he explained that sometimes "a script provokes an actor to do excellent work," which he did in a creative way like when he showed a Llaurado memory of a rudimentary asthma treatment as a boy.
Martinez wheezed all over the stage into a roll that inverted him in a headstand on triangulated forearms, simulating being flipped over by an adult and submerged in a barrel of water. He stood there on his head, emitting bubbling sounds, and was totally convincing as a child doing anything possible to overcome the tortures of a breathing disorder.
In the monolog Llaurado wished one could start life old and go backward, going out with a young body and experienced mind, and it seemed like Martinez has done this. His director Carlos Diaz said this was his best work in ten years,
Martinez said he wasn't preying on Llaurado, who he never met, rather he was simply trying to share pieces of his extraordinary life with others.
Prensa Latina asked him if he had any messages to share with our readers and the 27 year-old said "I would say actors cannot be false in life. When one is false in life then one no longer is actor."
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