Noticias
To be presented as part of the 46th Cervantino International Festival
The play Alchemy and Transmutation dignifies women inside and outside the prison
September 21, 2018Making society aware of the importance of defending the dignity of the feminine gender is the message of the play Alquimia y Transmutación (Alchemy and Transmutation), which brings together professional actresses, former inmates and inmates of the CERESO’s women area in Guanajuato.
The staging will premiere as part of the 46th Cervantino International Festival under the direction of Arturo Morell, on October 13 and 14 at 8 p.m., in Catacumbas Mesón de San Antonio, with professional actresses.
On October 15 and 16, at 5 p.m., the performances will be at the Women's Center for Social Readaptation in Puentecillas, Guanajuato, with the participation of 32 women deprived of their liberty.
The plot refers to the influence of Don Quixote's famous lover, Dulcinea, who was in fact called Aldonza Lorenzo, on women deprived of liberty inside and outside the prison.
As if it were a rehearsal of a staging in a prison, Alquimia y transmutación recreates a dungeon of the Holy Inquisition on San Juan’s eve in which there was a witch hunt.
According to Arturo Morell, the intention is to show how women were treated in those times to reflect on the fact that many misogynistic behaviors that attempt against the feminine gender continue to be repeated today.
The actor and producer, winner of the 2017 Award for Equality and Non-Discrimination, granted by the National Council for the Prevention of Discrimination (Conapred, for its acronym in Spanish), added that this is a production that will move many people and will be healing for both performers and audience.
Alquimia y Transmutación seeks to make inmates in prisons aware of changing the negative view they have of the confinement, and transform it through song, dance, meditation and relaxation.
"All women are an Aldonza who want to be seen as a Dulcinea. There is an inner struggle, scars that mark your life, but it is about letting go, freeing yourself and exercising your right to be happy.
The cast of professional actresses is made up of Elizabeth Guindi, Laura Luz, Alejandra Álvarez, Luz Rincón, Sandra Martínez, Ivette Cabrera, Valeria Morell, Edith Mercedes Cárdenas, Laura Jaramillo and sergeant Alejandra Álvarez.
According to actress Edith Mercedes Cardenas, Aldonza's character doesn't recognize qualities that Don Quixote sees in her, which resembles the situation experienced by women entering prison.
"You have a self-esteem wounded by the way society sees your legal situation, consciously or unconsciously, you create a nefarious image of yourself as bad, useless, damaging and hurtful”.
"After being on a stage with such a strong character and seeing the impact it has on the people around you it’s an important sum to discover that you can bring good things to society, no matter where you are”.
For the actress Sandra Martínez, independently of the fact that the play reflects what life inside the prison is like, it allows us to realize and sensitize the prison society we have inside ourselves.
"When I was inside a prison I thought that you had to be a person without feelings. I was reborn with this project because it brought me back to life and it was an impressive catharsis because I removed that shield to be me again”.
For her part, the actress Ivette Cabrera considered that being the character of Aldonza you meet yourself as a woman because it empowers you:
"Aldonza is yourself with your values and your demons and Dulcinea are your dreams and illusions and when you manage to mix both you become that empowered woman that Don Quixote talks about”.
Alquimia y Transmutación is part of the social focus of the Cervantino International Festival through its Cervantino for All (CPT) program.
The 46th edition of the Cervantino International Festival will take place from October 10-28 with a program that includes 195 shows and a total of 327 performances distributed in opera and vocal music, music, dance, theater, street performances, exhibitions and academic activities.
For further information, please visit: www.festivalcervantino.gob.mx
Mexico
