'La Edad de la Ciruela' tells story of sisters' poignant memories
By: Barbara Mackay
Special to The Examiner
September 24, 2008
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Monalisa Arias and Lorena Sabogal star in "La Edad de la Ciruela" at GALA Hispanic Theatre in Washington. -- Courtesy Photo
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WASHINGTON — "La Edad de la Ciruela" ("The Aging of the Plum") at GALA Hispanic Theatre, is a poetic, philosophical work that may not make you consider theater in a whole new way, but does encourage you to think about time, memory and familial relationships.
Written by Argentinian playwright Aristides Vargas, "La Edad" focuses on two sisters who write letters to one another, recalling their childhood, their aunts, their mother and grandmother.
The play is neither completely realistic nor totally surrealistic. Vargas writes a form of delicate magical realism but continually reminds the audience -- through his two main characters -- that certain truths about "reality" will always remain. Those characters are the sisters Eleonora and Celina, who appear as adults and also as young girls wondering about the women in their family.
Abel Lopez has directed with a sensitive hand, emphasizing the pathos and humor in Vargas' script and underlining both the spirituality and the worldliness of his complex women. Monalisa Arias is particularly effective as Celina, as is Maria Brito, who plays the grandmother, Maria.
One of the women in this family, Victoria, never ventures out into the world and never speaks. She always appears playing the violin, her face a white mask. Becky Webber, an excellent violinist, is well-suited to that role, providing exquisite music between scenes. Blanquita, the servant who complains nonstop, is played with comic flair by Lucrecia Basualdo.
Elizabeth J. McFadden's set neatly captures the evanescent nature of time, a central notion in the play. Vertical panels of blue sky and white clouds form a semi-circle around the circular stage, which represents a clock, its huge Roman numerals outlining the playing area.
It takes a lot of imagination to enter Vargas' world, which takes place "in yesteryears at the family home ... where time has stopped."
But this GALA production of "La Edad de la Ciruela" suggests that clocks can at least be put on hold for a little while through letters, memories and reminiscences and that heritage means more than a list of names on a genealogical chart.
If you go
"La Edad de la Ciruela" ("The Aging of the Plum") runs through Oct. 12
(In Spanish with English surtitles)
Venue: GALA Hispanic Theatre, 3333 14th St. NW, Washington
Performances: 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday
Tickets: $32 to $36, discounts available
More info: 202-234-7174;www.galatheatre.org
