To console his woes, a sick turtle by pollution of his habitat needs a bit of sky, a dewdrop and a flower. Gali, his grandson, undertakes a journey in search of appropriate remedies, which will be featured, along with the sunset in the chalk drawings of children on the pavement.
Gradually the Joaquín de Agüero square in Camagüey has been filling with infants, and no one knows where to look, because in several blocks around there guys are painting and smiling. It’s those little moments recorded in the memory of those who have had the opportunity to attend the XV National Theatre Festival which ran from October fourth through the 11th in this city.
Camagüey is now a party. No one can deny it: there is no better venue for an event of such importance. The public is demanding and knowledgeable, the queues to access the features are immense and the cheers have brought tears to the eyes of more than one actor.
The Pinar del Rio group TECMA, with its work En busca de una antigua ilusión (in search of an old illusion), it is noteworthy not only for the noble teaching of the tortoise and the animals of the river, but for the beauty of the costumes, made from recycled items, and physical preparation of its actors, who spend more than an hour on stilts about six feet tall.
And while in Joaquín de Agüero transit stops to make way for the company, in the Plaza del Gallo tourists have come to the balconies and people have preferred to extend the working day, at about seven in the evening, enjoy the adventures of Andante boys and their piece Oh, Margarita. A simple show (even minimalist if preferred), with a hilarious drama that speaks not to lose hope and do not give up on love despite adversity.
About the same time, but in the Avenida de la Libertad, a giant horse comes as a gift to a legendary city, full of soldiers in a historical revenge. It is the legend of Troy, told based on mud and talent by D’Morón Theatre. The company has achieved a remarkable specialization. Gestures and concentration are an inseparable part of its aesthetic. The silence and the look of the actors convey many sensations as the best text of the most seasoned playwright. Undoubtedly street theater has been one of the most acclaimed of the event.
But everything is liked. There isn’t at any time of day in Camagüey a moment of calm. Lights, costumes and scenery do not stop. From the viewpoint located in the Basilica Minor, a photographer friend told me that the city has been observed at different times of the day. He is amazed at how cosmopolitan the city is. “There are queues even for theorists’ events.” And it’s true: the theaters are full.
In the Guiñol, several companies have stepped functions. It is difficult to refuse requests from children. Children’s shows have been in the spotlight. Adventure in crazy town, by the Storytellers, is well thought out and forces the family to reflect on the importance of listening and support children. It is very nice music selection, but I wish more waste of scenery, more colorful.
It is not the case of Gray, by Tuyo Theatre. They do not need colors because, as critic Omar Valiño pointed out, “they carry colors inside.” Three clowns, Karambola, Puchunga and Lelé come from far away, from an unknown location from an asteroid. They look for a chest with the seasons to save their land, which is as save ourselves. Gray is this: salvation. It is understood that before our eyes there is still beauty worth fighting for.
In Gray harmoniously combine music, dance and mime clown with other elements. The staging, directed by Ernesto Parra, restates the plaudits earned in the previous edition of the Festival with Noses. Gray consolidates the group’s work during the past fifteen years and shows that it is possible to rethink the ways and make samples of a high aesthetic concept, regardless of the greater cultural epicenter of Cuba: Havana. This is also true of Teatro del Viento, which we’ll talk more calmly.
There are still two days left inthe Festival. Since last night there are excellent proposals. Loredo Romulus would have liked to live these days. He never rested. His eagerness to maintain alive the UNEAC subsidiary in Camagüey, his efforts to promote culture on a land where Espejo de Paciencia was born, his unconditional support to Dramatic Troupe of Camagüey and extensive literary work show the sagacity of a man for whom the countryside, cane sugar, and Punto Guajiro were the inspiration of his life.
Chief ideologue of the National Theatre Festival, Romulo Loredo is present in this edition: in the effort of workers in the tables, in the admirable efforts of the Organizing Committee and the wisdom of Camaguey.
Seen from the air, this city yesterday seemed a swarm of people and heritage.
