LONDRES: Festival Casa Latinamerican 2014
Guest blog: CASA Latin American Theatre Festival – from open calls to UK Premieres
By A Younger Theatre on October 7, 2014 in Theatre
03. Visite Argentina – Jorge Costa y Julia Muzio
With its 2014 edition coming up this week, CASA Latin American Theatre Festival’s Artistic Director Daniel Goldman talks about the challenges – and joys – of putting together a major international programme.
As the seventh edition of CASA Latin American Theatre Festival draws near, I’ve been thinking about the nature of programming an international festival and by extension progamming in general. Some of the questions I’ve been thinking about are: How do you programme theatre without seeing it live? What are the best ways to programme international work? How do you ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to be programmed?
We programme CASA in two ways. First, by going to festivals in Europe and Latin America and seeing shows. Second, by putting out an open call for applications across Latin America. To give you an idea of the response an open call can generate, for CASA 2015 I’ve been going through applications from almost 300 companies with over 370 shows.
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But now comes the sobering part. Out of the 60 or so companies we see live and the 300 we see on video, we will probably programme only four of each. If you do the maths, it’s clear that the odds of being programmed from the open call are pretty low. So why do we still do it? Especially as we then have to go through 300 applications and watch 400 shows on video, which is not the way to engage with live theatre at the best of times.
The simple answer is that the open call allows us to discover companies we otherwise can’t see. As an organisation, we’re committed to bringing brilliant Latin American theatre to the UK. Some of that brilliant theatre is already on the festival circuit. Some of it isn’t. Plus, everything we programme is new to the UK. Few of the artists we bring over are recognisable here, let alone famous, so all we have to worry about is the quality of the work – which is a great luxury.
And so, this year, I’m delighted that our programme is full of emerging artists. Obviously, I’d love to tell you about everyone but there isn’t space or time. Instead I want to share with you the story of how we selected one of them: Jorge Costa, a uniquely talented mime artist, clown and director from Argentina, who is presenting two wonderful shows called Mi.Me (Inside out. Outside in.) and Visite Argentina (Come visit Argentina).
Even though it was nearly a year ago, I still remember sitting down to watch the first of Jorge’s two videos, Visite Argentina. I had no expectations, but about three minutes in my cheeks were already hurting from laughter. Five minutes later, I called my colleague Gael: she was loving it just as much. An hour and 45 minutes later, having watched both videos, and seen him magically create an hour of brilliantly absolutely improvised mime in Mi.Me, I emailed Jorge asking him to be a part of the festival.
In less than ten days time, he’ll be on stage at Rich Mix in London, performing both shows at CASA 2014. Come and see a young master at work.
The CASA Latin American Theatre Festival runs from 10-19 October at Rich Mix and the Barbican. Jorge Costa’s Visite Agentina plays on Sat 11 & Sun 12 October, and Mi.Mi. is on Sat 18 and Sun 19 October, both at Rich Mix. For more information and tickets on CASA’s website.
de http://lucylovescircus.blogspot.com.es/2014/10/chapter-41-casa-festival-clowning.html
Chapter 41: CASA Festival – Clowning around in «Come Visit Argentina»
«So, what are we going to do again this afternoon Mum?» The kids faces fall, their father’s already resigned, as I explain to them we are off to watch a couple of Argentine clowns talk about their country. In Spanish. With subtitles. «No really» I insist «Trust me, you’ll love it.» And then I cross my fingers and bribe them with an ice-cream in the foyer of RichMix in Shoreditch.
«Come Visit Argentina»/»Visite Argentina» is the work of Jorge Costa and Julia Muzio «on a mission to tell the rest of the world about the amazingness of the glorious and exotic Republic of Argentina, with its gauchos, steak and tango» (CASA programme). While I’m not sure the invitation would extend to Jeremy Clarkson right now, muppet of the moment last seen driving around Argentina in a Porsche number-plated H982 FLK (what the flk was he thinking?), as soon as we stepped over the threshold we felt right at home. Su CASA es mi casa, after all.
And here’s the thing, there’s a bit of a history of Anglo-Argentine collaboration in clowning around. After all, the origins of Argentine national theatre – the gaucho (cowboy) drama – has its roots in the circus of Brighton-born clown, Frank Brown, in the 19th Century. He stopped off in Buenos Aires on tour one day, fell in love with the place and settled. His circus show reflected the love he had for the country, and cemented (adopted) national pride, by always ending with a story about the gauchos, complete with horse-tricks, singing and dancing. The gaucho drama then moved from big-top to theatre and evolved from there. Legend. I’ll be sending a copy of his biography to Clarkson for Christmas.
«Come Visit Argentina» was introduced and interspersed with pre-recorded video messages from the most-illustrious (ie. hapless) itinerant Minister of Tourism for the itinerant country, with his chain-smoking secretary as foil, introducing the couple in various guises of Argentine cliché. The waiters, the folk-dancers, the maté-sipping gaucho and his china, and the tango-dancers. In each incarnation the comedy was physical and slapstick, lots of clouts and tumbles, and this non-verbal cartoon language of thwack, bang, wallop was an instant hit with the children. Phew. They said they loved it all, but one of the highlights for them were the waiters juggling their trays, then turning them into Mickey Mouse ears, and the stunt tumbling down the whole flight of auditorium stairs. For the adults there was the comedy of sexual politics – the gaucho taming his wild stallion, the tango dancer showing us the dance step The Mare as she is reined in by her partner (but not for long). For Spanish speakers there were the linguist plays on words and Argentinisms (ché, vos cachís, no?) to enjoy. For my husband and I the tangueros reminded us of our own comic attempts many moons ago to learn the dance (we both like to lead, we quickly discovered!), and flying around the dance-floor. Not always intentionally.
As with Friday night, and the Chilean company Caldo con Enjundia in the previous post, it was the physical energy, presence and chemistry between the performers that kept the momentum going and attention riveted. There was never a dull moment, and laughter throughout. I had not originally intended to bring the toddler (and nor by default, my husband, the babysitter) but a chance encounter with Julia on the festival’s opening night, when her own toddler had pulled me by the finger in search of grapes, assured me that mine would be welcome, and have a playmate to boot. And so there she was, laughing and clapping all the way, and then after the show, the music still playing, an impromptu disco ensued with her new found best friend. Now that’s what I call building bridges for the future.
Oh, and as a postscript, it turned out that an old Spanish friend staying for the festival, had the winning ticket for the raffle afterwards. The prize is a meal for two at a local Argentine restaurant, and while the kids are at school tomorrow he is very kindly taking me and his surrogate grand-daughter (the toddler) out for lunch. Olé! Lots to digest, my bombilla of maté is calling …
«200 PERSONAS APLAUDIENDO DE PIE»
Nota en Olavarria en Diario El Popular de Olavarria,
Domingo 1 de junio de 2014,
Seccion ARTE Y ESPECTACULOS
Comentarios de Espectadores olavarrienses:
Liliana Guidoni:
MAESTRO…elegimos ser y elegimos MAESTROS como ustedes. dos. ME VOLARON LA CABEZA. Y que decir del cuerpo. GRACIAS CON PASION Y PLACER
JAMAS ME REI TANTO.. como HOY EN Visite ARGENTINA.
TU TALENTO Y EL DE TU COMPAÑERA ES DIGNO DE TODOS LOS APLAUSOS. Es UN PRIVILEGIO , PERMITIRNOS DISFRUTAR EL PLACER DE VERLOS …SER. beso
«Succionate ese Citrico»
Reseña “Visite Argentina” (por Leandro Ibaniez de Hermosos Perdedores)
Un absurdo y delirante dúo de promotores turísticos nos muestra las bondades de conocer lo más tradicional y representativo de nuestro país, convencidos de su capacidad para ello, e ignorando o descartando todo profesionalismo en el intento.
En un repaso por temáticas argentinas, cómo el tango, las boleadoras y los mozos; en clave cómica nos encontramos con un espejo de nuestra argentinidad. Con lo mejor de la tradición clown en la sangre, Julia Muzio y Jorge Costa nos entregan un espectáculo imposible de ver sin explotar de risa, con gran despliegue físico y actoral, con gags y remates inteligentes y sin abandonar la observación aguda acerca de quiénes somos, y que cosas nos constituyen.
Gran espectáculo con un dúo que se las trae, a estar atentos a Jorge Costa y Julia Muzio, actores llamados a ser los capocómicos de esta década.
Cultura del Ser Producciones
Vivimos a diario en un mundo convulsionado, agitado y con la adrenalina de estar siempre activos, sin pensar muchas veces qué decimos o por qué. ¿Cuántas veces hemos repetido frases hechas? Seguramente muchas. Por ejemplo:
Gauchescas:
“Yo soy toro en mi rodeo y torazo en rodeo ajeno” José Hernández (”Martín Fierro”)
“El que no llora no mama y el que no afana es un gil” Enrique Santos Discépolo (”Cambalache”)
“No avives a los giles que después se te ponen en contra” (Carlos Gardel)
Dichos Populares
“Quien se va sin que lo echen vuelve sin que lo llamen.”
“Quien avisa no es traidor”
“Más vale prevenir que curar”
“El que sabe labura y el que no… Es Jefe!”
“No hay mal que por bien no venga”
Bueno Gente de esto y mucho más se trata VISITE ARGENTINA una maravillosa idea de comunicar y transmitir los calcos mensajes de un país, reinterpretando historias, costumbres, tradiciones, una cultura llevada como un lubricante social a través del humor que hace pegar un optimismo y un ánimo que no podes hacer otra cosa que disfrutar 100% de esta presentación.
Un espectáculo entretenido, directo y efectivo, no sólo por los chistes y las desopilantes actuaciones, sino porque se permite una reflexión mayor sobre el crecimiento, la fama y el lugar que ocupa la Argentina para nosotros y los otros.
Una dupla recurrente, creativa, desenfadados y con un dominio en sus movimientos corporales admirables. JULIA MUZIO & JORGE COSTA dos estrellas de la actuación, un nivel elevadísimo como clows, aquí también se hacen cargo de la Dirección y de la Puesta, alucinante, sencilla pero acertada en toda su elección. Los juegos de estos equilibristas del humor, te llevan al pasado, presente y lo que se viene del futuro, interpretando las peripecias de dos personajes en espacios y tiempos varios, mostrando un plano de la realidad e idealizando el país.
Buenas razones para no dejar de verla. Espero que se Rían y Luego se Emocionen como yo… por mi país, por el teatro y por los actores y su talento.
A Veces Escucho que Dicen que El Argentino es una Mezcla de Muchas Nacionalidades y que No Tenemos Identidad…Y Por eso Hoy Quiero Decirles…ESTO ES SER ARGENTINO!!! Este espectáculo lo es!!!
Calificación: Excelente
Redactora: Silvina Brandana
ECUADOR:
ENTRE RIOS, PARANA:
VISITE ARGENTINA (por Gabriel Peralta)
Un plan turístico para conocer la Argentina desde sus raíces más telúricas (abarca tanto lo cosmopolita como lo campestre), eso es lo que propone la obra Visite Argentina con dirección de Walter Velázquez.
[divider]Mediante la guía de un personaje -que no solo no se priva de caer en los lugares comunes del discurso patriotero, sino que lo enfatiza, hasta llegar al punto de perderse en sus propias palabras- el espectador se adentrará en personajes, espacios y expresiones artísticas, que son iconos de nuestra argentinidad.
[divider]Claro que su pasaje por esos parajes folklóricos le deparará la sorpresa ya que, lejos de entronizarlos, los mismos son desmenuzados en su obviedad y zarandeados en sus arquetipos. Así se verá a mozos con más de un problema para cumplimentar un pedido; a gauchos y chinas con serios problemas con su identidad y con su entorno; y a una pareja que baila tango, cuyos componentes y estilo de baile abreva en el peor estilo “for-export” de esa danza.
[divider]Porque de eso se trata Visite Argentina: desnudar todo aquello que se da por sentado como parte inamovible de nuestra idiosincrasia para ponerlo en duda. La forma que lo hace es mediante un humor que entremezcla una mirada acida e irónica, junto a un despliegue físico que no claudica durante todo el desarrollo de la obra. Y eso permite que el espectáculo atrape tanto a los niños (los gags visuales son de impecable factura) y a los adultos de igual manera.
Julia Muzzio, Jorge Costa y Gabriel Paez, desarrollan una tarea estupenda, de asombroso despliegue físico-actoral los primeros, y de puntillosa mirada a los tics discursivos por parte de Paez.
[divider]Estén atentos la obra Visite Argentina puede re-aparecer en cualquier momento, y sería muy bueno dar una vuelta por la tan mentada argentinidad.