The Utah theatre scene is so vibrant and alive that companies have to be creative to stand out and make an impact. This is why I am very excited and impressed with Center Street and their new initiative to put on more obscure or lesser-known plays in Utah. We live in a world that sometimes thinks only musicals sell so it is bold and exciting to put on not only plays but ones that aren’t done all the time. Their latest is by Federico Garcia written in 1945 called The House of Bernarda Alba. This is a searing, intense exercise in melodrama and an example of how a mother’s love can be a tool of manipulation and control rather than nurturing affection.
The story is about a woman named Bernarda Alba who rules over her 5 daughters and has decided to keep them inside in strict mourning of their step-father for 8 years. This is essentially imprisoning them and becomes especially a problem when almost all the daughters fall in love with a womanizing man named Pepe. At Center Street the mother is played by Julie Cordell-Seamons and it is the type of angry dominating performance I won’t soon forget. McKenna Walwyn, Mckenzie Blair-Mosher, and Hannah McKinnon get the most to do out of the daughters playing Angustias, Adela and Martirio respectively. All 3 of these women are in love with Pepe who is never seen on stage but as you can imagine causes quite a lot of conflict.
Tolerance for this play will probably depend a lot on the viewers enjoyment of melodrama, but that is something I love so I was a fan. It’s definitely not trying to be subtle but it does show that a dominating, tyrannical mother can be a dangerous thing. Whether we should or not we as audiences expect mothers to behave a certain way and it is shocking when Bernarda Alba doesn’t nurture her daughters and is so cold and angry to them. You keep expecting her to break but she doesn’t. Cordell-Seamons is terrific in the role- all of the actors give compelling, memorable performances.
Since I was unfamiliar with the material there were times the daughters arcs could get a little confusing especially since they are all dressed in black. I’m not sure how one avoids it but I allowed myself to worry less about plot and just enjoy the melodrama of it all. The nice part is it is only 90 minutes so it is not one of those classic plays that wears out its welcome. I got just enough of this insane mother and the story on stage. Director Charles Mosher gets the most out of his cast and they aren’t afraid to be physical throwing their entire bodies into the roles.
This production takes place at the Hive Collaborative and it features simple scenic design and props to help one focus on the actors and their performances. It is an angry play and not one with a ton of resolution to the anger except in tragedy. I can see why it might not be for everyone, but I am certainly glad I saw it. The House of Bernarda Alba is playing until November 14th and tickets can be purchased here.
The House of Bernarda Alba was originally written in Spanish by Federico Garcia Lorca. It first premiered in Argentina in 1945. The first English adaptation was by playwright Tom Stoppard and premiered in 1973. This version was translated by Michael Dewell and Carmen Margarita Zapata.
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