Photo by Ed Kreiger
Between 1976 and 1983, Argentina was a country filled with terrorism…terrorism performed by the government.
People were taken off the streets, removed from their homes, tortured and killed for saying the wrong thing, talking to the wrong person or helping the unfortunate. These people, many of them children, came to be known as the ‘Disappeared.’
‘The Madres,’ written by Stephanie Alison Walker and directed by Sara Guerrero, is a powerful award-winning play about brave women who refused to be silenced. At first no one believed their stories because no one wanted to. But the mothers wearing white head scarfs would not be silenced.
Every Thursday night they marched, speaking out and demanding justice in front of the Casa Rosada, the Argentinian White House even though it could mean their lives.
When the play opens, it’s 1978. We meet Josefina Acosta (the wonderful Denise Blasor) and her middle-aged daughter Carolina (the excellent, Arianna Ortiz) who has been marching with the Madres since her own pregnant and newly married daughter, Belen (Natalie Lierena), has not been seen for several months. Both women are extremely anxious about her fate, but tell each other that she’s in Paris with her musician husband.
Even when the local Padre (Gabriel Romero) comes to visit, Josefina and Carolina continue with the lie about Belen. After all any one could be an informant especially the Padre, since he acts as a confessor to the soldiers. But he’s not their only concern.
Soon after the Padre’s visit, Diego (Alexander Pimentel), an old schoolmate of Belen, knocks on their door. He is now a fanatical soldier stationed at the camp where they detain and torture the people. It’s his visit that leads up to a chilling climax.
‘The Madres’ is a play about courage during a time when courage could lead to a person’s death. Considering the political events that are transpiring in our own country the play is extremely timely, making it a ‘must see.’
The play is presented by the Skylight Theatre Company located at 1816 North Vermont Avenue, Hollywood. For tickets call: 213-761-7061 or go to SkylightTix.com. Performances: are Friday and Saturday at 8:30 pm, Sunday at 2pm and on Monday at 8pm through April 29th.
