‘Laughs in Spanish’ – Written by Alexis Scheer. Directed by Mariela López-Ponce. Scenic design by Erik D. Diaz. Costume design by Rebecca Glick. Lighting Design by Amanda E. Fallon. Sound Design by Anna Drummond. Presented by SpeakEasy Stage Company at 527 Tremont Street, Boston, MA, 02116, from September 13th to October 12th.
By Helen Ganley
Bright orange chairs sit below bare white walls bearing blank name cards for conspicuously missing paintings. Henry Fiol’s “Ahora me da Pena” (“Now I Feel Sorry”) wafts through the room as the part-telenovela, part-whodunit begins to unfold onstage. Written by Alexis Scheer, Laughs in Spanish is a contemporary play that explores the intersection of culture, identity, and family dynamics through humor. Scheer, a playwright and actress, debuted this work in 2019 at the Boston Playwright’s Theatre. Speakeasy Stage’s rendering is a high-energy and campy production that speaks to family, relationships, and the importance of connection.
Laughs in Spanish centers around Wynwood art gallery owner Mari on the day of the prestigious art fair Art Basel as she discovers that her showcase has been stolen. Her array of paintings by celebrated artist Marco Diaz are mysteriously gone, along with the hope of the crowds that would be drawn to her gallery. Surrounded by advice from an intern, boyfriend, mother, and assistant alike, all must balance the chaos in their personal life with that occurring in the space at hand.
Rebekah Rae Robles bounces frenetically around the stage as Mari, the ambitious gallery owner. Robles is expressive, her face emanating each emotion in the style of a classic telenovela. Her energy shifts to complement each character – fierce obstinance toward her mother, Estella (Paola Ferrer), gentle tenderness for her childhood crush, Jenny (Brogan Nelson), and fiery frustration at assistant Caro and her boyfriend Juan (Luz Lopez and Daniel Rios, Jr.). Ferrer lopes down the audience aisle stairs, making an appropriate movie star entrance complete with a telenovela sting. She shifts seamlessly between intense maternal self-admiration and grounded human self-reproach, creating a captivating emotional arc. Nelson provides an optimistic and bright counterpoint, dancing emphatically and fiddling blithely with set pieces while the action occurs on the opposite side of the stage. Lopez is humble but spunky, standing her ground as an aspiring painter during serious yet spirited conversations. Rios, Jr. exudes charisma, his sly and smooth mannerisms juxtaposing with the agitated post-crime energy.
Erik D. Diaz’s set offers beautiful resort energy, complete with a split-stage design that creates a gallery and its patio. This split can occasionally be clunky, fluxing the interpretable space between the two sections, but allows for separate scenes with different levels of privacy. Rebecca Glick’s costumes accentuate the personalities of each character – a bright jumpsuit for Jenny, a restrained blazer and skirt for pre-makeover Mari, a billowing dress for Estella, and a carefree but well-manicured kimono for Caro. Amanda E. Fallon’s lighting and Anna Drummond’s sound work together to create the telenovela atmosphere, complete with dramatic spotlights and sound cues.
Chockful of remembrance, poignancy, and the importance of stories, SpeakEasy Stage Company’s Laughs in Spanish explores healing through laughter and leaves you wanting to give a loved one a call. For tickets and information, go to: speakeasystage.com.
