El amor de las luciérnagas

I’ve heard a lot about Alejandro Ricaño, a Mexican playwright, director and professor at the Universidad Veracruzana. He is one of the young up-and-coming playwrights of Mexico. My first encounter with his work came during a mini-course directed by Stuart Day at BYU. One of Ricaño’s more recent plays, El amor de las luciérnagas (Firefly Love), reopened this past Thursday in the Teatro Xola Julio Prieta in Mexico City. The play, which also won the Premio Bellas Artes Mexicali de Dramaturgia 2011, is a tender story of a young girl that both metaphorically and literally finds herself amidst emotions of young love and changing identities. The usual line-up of actors also appeared in this production which was directed by the playwright himself: Sonia Franco, Ana Zavala & Sofía Sylwin (the three Marías); Pablo Marín (Rómulo, the boyfriend, who also acted in 21 historias de baúl); Sara Pinet (María’s best friend, Lola); Hamlet Rodríguez (Ramón, the campesino); and Miguel Romero (the priest, among other roles).

Playbill Cover

Alejandro Ricaño

The structure of the play is an example of a tried and true heroic adventure where the heroine confronts a struggle, goes on an adventure, and then happily ends by learning something about herself. What was intriguing and unique about this specific use of this plot structure were three unique elements: the setting, the psychology of the protagonist, and fantastic elements. The play is set at the turn of the 21^st century in various regions of Mexico and Guatemala. By setting the play in Mexico and Guatemala Alejandro Ricaño played with the cultural uniqueness of these regions. For example, the protagonist travels from Tijuana to Xalapa where she confronts cultural differences between Northwest and Southern Mexico. Also, María travels with Lola to Guatemala where they belittle their neighbor to the South. These episodes create a cultural awareness unique to Mexico that give a special touch to a generic plot structure.

The psychology of the play was also unique because María, the protagonist, was represented by three actresses. Each version of María is a different period of time: young and innocent, adolescent and adventurous, and the present and confused María. During several scenes of high emotions, each of the three Marías narrated their feelings that combined into one rich and profound experience. One particular occasion was absolutely breathtaking. María traveled with Ramón, a country folk, slowly falling madly in love with his burly and masculine body. The present María acted the emotions while the other Marías narrated her feelings. The descriptions were enthralling, and I felt almost as if I became lost in their words. The use of three Marías was a unique element that demonstrated a deep entrance into the psychology of the protagonist.

From left to right: Sofía Sylwin, Sonia Franco & Ana Zavala

Another aspect that makes the play unique is the use of fantastic elements. Several news articles (Milenio, CONACULTA, mx-df.net, etc.), as well as the playwright himself in the playbill, note the use of magical realism within the play, an autochthonous literary genre of Latin America. However, each time it is mentioned there is no explicit reference or justification. Granted, if the play really does use magical realism then it would intend to make the play a truly Latin American one. I agree there are fantastic elements, but I don´t know if I would go so far as to qualify the work as magical realism. The reason I wouldn’t qualify it as magical realism is because the characters initially doubt the nature of a cursed typewriter and the creation of a duplicate María. Even though María realizes later on that she could live a different life while letting her duplicate finish out her current one, the idea of a duplicate was initially shocking (not reality). If because at the end of the play María accepts the fact that a duplicate person can live out the remainder of her life allows the play to be qualified as magical realism, then it slips into this category haphazardly.

The title of the show, referencing fireflies, is a metaphor for the only type of love María experiences: intermittent. Her first love, Rómulo, had an on-and-off relationship with María. Each time they came together it was for superficial and egotistic reasons: imitating actors, exploring sex, etc. María realizes by the end of the play that she’s ok with falling in and out of love and decides to return back to the small village where Ramón dwells. Earlier in the play the two experience an emotional connection and have sex. Realizing she might have a more stable life with Ramón, as well as a more profound connection, she leaves behind her former life for a new one with Ramón. Adding to this reference was the scenic design choice of a network of bulbs hanging down over the stage. On several occasions, as well as the end, the lights would flash in different intervals, replicating the experience of firefly light. At the end, when she accepts that she’s ok with having on-and-off relationships, and that this might be the only type of love she’ll ever know, the main stage lights fade as the flashing lights continue to make sporadic light on the stage.

The light bulbs hanging over the stage like fireflies

It’s a beautiful coming of age story with a Latin American flavor. The show continues until the 28^th of June, and only on the weekends. If you are in Mexico City this is a show you don’t want to miss.