Tasks are exercises, usually simple instructions to carry out an activity and the task must be fulfilled; you have to do your duty and do it well.
While I was waiting to enter the show, I was given a simple task: to write something positive about myself on one piece of paper and something negative on another. It was easy to write the positive, though I did so without much certainty that I truly was what I wrote on the paper; it felt more like an invitation to become it. Writing the next one, describing oneself negatively, was a bit more challenging. In the end, I did it after some self-scrutiny. It’s like a battle of concepts between self-love and the principle of acceptance.
As we went in, took our seats, and waited for the show to begin, I kept looking and thinking about that simple activity, which seemed to occupy my thoughts, somewhere between doubt and pride.
The empty space: an actor lying on the floor, asleep under a spotlight. On his face, a smile; on his body, lightly warm clothing in many colors, with blue and stripes predominating as a design pattern. The intensity of the light reveals a worn “black box” theater, shaped by countless performances, which inevitably makes me think it is no longer an empty space. I don’t believe that digging into this will add anything constructive to this review . I continue wandering in my thoughts, look at the audience around me, return to the assigned little papers, hide them for fear of being made to participate in the show. My fantasy of being an incognito spectator is fortunately interrupted by the effusive and charismatic introduction by Kate - host, producer, and technical director of the festival, who with a nimble, brief speech left us smiling and warmed up. The show started well.
Beastie wakes up, greets us, entertains us, surprises us, dazzles us, draws us in and the fun is interrupted by a voice. Perhaps the embodiment of others, of what people will say, of parents or of ourselves, that scolds him and puts an end to the magic. He says goodbye and goes back to sleep. Beastie wakes up again, involves us, enlightens us, explains and lets us participate in his game. We cook, travel and discover until once again that voice cuts short our pleasure and Beastie, embarrassed, apologizes, says goodbye and goes back to sleep. The formula repeats three or four times without wearing out; on the contrary, it is delightful, generous, eloquent in gesture and onomatopoeia, an imaginary journey that delights us and involves us like children, from domestic activities to treasures in the desert, battles against zombies. Dreams and nightmares that amuse us, engage us, and resonate with us. We are a group of adults led by an adult being a child, recreating our childhood and allowing ourselves to be free, without judgment, without fear.
Beastie is scolded again by this voice, which has now become personal and seems to be mistaken. We are all now friends of Beastie; we are all Beastie and we don’t want to stop playing. Freeing ourselves from judgment is what’s right; being empathetic, creative, and having fun is what’s right.
Beastie says goodbye once more and returns to his sleeping position under the spotlight. Now the voice tells us to fold and throw the little papers with positive and negative adjectives as close as we can to our friend. The action pleases us. Who doesn’t like a paper-ball fight, throwing something at someone, hitting them without causing harm? After all, we are all children, and this seems to be our last collective mischief. Beastie has been scolded so many times that now he doesn’t want to get up. The voice tells him to do so, since his friends have sent him messages. The reading begins with the negative notes and moves on to the positive ones, which lift the energy. We feel identified and happy, ready to be accomplices and to enjoy what appear to be biographical video fragments that tell the childhood of the actor who has just captivated and charmed us with his piece and his character; who has opened his heart to us and whom we will hardly forget. We have made a new friend, and now we love you, Beastie.
Del Gonzalez, in a magical display of physical work, gesture, mime technique, clowning, exquisite onomatopoeic sound and clarity in his actions and pathways, establishes the play and achieves a complicit communication and generosity that make this piece a grand and much-needed journey for our overwhelmed society, saturated with news editorials and displays of power where sweetness, innocence, and creativity are also powerful tools for conquering the world.
Thank you to Del Gonzalez and his entire team, we received the message!
We are giving this 4 / 5 Ds (D D D D)
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