The play ‘The Island of Lonely Men’ went on an international tour. This staging of TeatroEspressivowas selected among many proposals by a qualifying jury to open the Miami International Hispanic Theater Festival (FITH), whose opening functions were from July 7th to 9th, 2023.
The prestigious event has, in its thirty-seventh edition, with the participation of companies from Argentina, Colombia, Spain, the United States and Costa Rica, which will raise the curtain for 4 weeks in various venues in the American city. “We feel very happy and proud to have been selected to inaugurate a festival as prestigious as the Miami Hispanic American Theater Festival. This will be a golden opportunity to show the work of Espressivo and. in general of the Costa Rican theater, and position it in the world of theater in Spanish”, indicated Natalia Rodríguez, general manager of GrupoEspressivo.
To celebrate this selection by renowned figures from the world of theater and confirmed by Mario Ernesto Sánchez, founder of TeatroAvante and director of the festival, TeatroEspressivo will offer 6 performances of the acclaimed work on its stage. The presentations will take place on Friday (July 14th, 8 p.m.), Saturday (July 15th, 8 p.m.), and Sunday (July 16th, 6 p.m.); as well as on Friday (August 4th, 8 p.m.), Saturday (August 5th, 8 p.m.), and Sunday (August 6th, 6 p.m.).
Tickets cost ¢10,000 per person (plus VAT and service charges) and can be purchased at www.espressivo.cr, by calling 2267-1818 or WhatsApp 6360-9158.
A work steeped in history
Through visual and sensory poetry, The ‘Island of Lonely Men’ revives one of the most shocking episodes in Costa Rican history. The play takes the public on a journey between human pain and redemption at the hands of Jacinto, prisoner #1713 on the island.
This 2023 season, which began with a month of performances in April of this year, is a tribute to the memory of José León Sánchez, author of the homonymous book and on which the theatrical proposal is based, released in 2016. Sánchez, who died in November at the age of 93, was one of the essential voices of Latin American literature, with multiple recognitions both in Costa Rica -including the 2017 Magón Prize- and in Mexico.
The extensive life of Sánchez and his vast work are a testimony to the importance of literature as a means of denouncing and social transformation. His legacy will live on as an inspiration for new generations of writers and readers, Rodríguez said. Through the staging, the public will be able to relive the events that marked the life of him and many other human beings imprisoned on San Lucas Island, with a sensitive proposal of the highest artistic value.
Stagingdetails
The show is a revival directed by the artist HumbertoCanessa, based on the adaptation of the novel by CaridadSvich and the original direction by José Zayas. “The purpose of this 2023 season is to humanize the work to the point of being able to speak in the ear of the viewer. The teacher José León Sánchez would be very happy to see this other dimension that we are giving to the word. The public that has not seen it will enjoy it very much and those who have already seen it will discover a different text”, expressed Canessa, current director and old acquaintance of this production, since he was in charge of the scenic and choreographic movement of the original version.
The play, recommended for people over 15 years old, poses a profound reflection on human nature and power, and invites us to question the established systems and justice in our society.
