Live and in Person at the Hamilton Fringe. Produced by First Born Theatre Company. Plays to Sunday, July 28, 2024.
Written by Mercedes Isaza Clunie
Directed by Zoe Marin
Cast: Alejandra Angobaldo
isi bhakhomen
Mercedes Isaza Clunie
Katarina Fiallos
Gloria Freire
Julianna Olave
Rachel Quintanilla
“Warnings: Sexual Content, Coarse Language, Nudity, Mentions of racism, colonialism, death and mental health”.
Generally from the Hamilton Fringe Guide: “After losing their ability to speak Spanish, 7 Latina-teenagers are forced to attend a Spanish only summer camp. Inside cabins, bathing in lakes and breathing in cigarette smoke, these young women are determined to find themselves before the summer is up. This play is a…bi-lingual coming-of-age story that makes you wonder what it means to be Latina-Canadian today.”
The Hamilton Fringe didn’t have a programme for this show—I was told by the front of house person that was the responsibility of the theatre company (First Born Theatre Company—Toronto). Alas there was no poster with a QR code, or a postcard among all the others at the venue, so I can’t identify who was playing whom.
“Gringa”-Definition
“Often disparaging
a foreign girl or woman in Spain or Latin America especially when of English, American or Canadian origin
broadly: a non-Hispanic girl or woman”.
While the synopsis of Mercedes Isaza Clunie’s play suggests “this play is a bi-lingual coming of age story that makes you wonder what it means to be Latina-Canadian today,” the reality of the play is that it’s about teens trying to fit into their own world first and then a Latina world second. In fact, I found the play about several things, and not just one theme. With the warning of a mention of ‘colonialism’ I thought perhaps the play was about being from a Latina background trying to fit into a Canadian world, but in reality, it’s not.
The teens arrive in the camp and they say in unison to the audience that they came together as strangers who did not like each other but ended up being friends. Ok. In quick succession one sees that these are ‘mean girls,’ judging each other for any situation. One young woman brought her teddy bear and someone else cast aspersions about it. Two teens had to decide who got the upper bunk bed. One of the two said that she was afraid of falling out of the top bunk and dying. The other teen suggested that that would be a good challenge—to take the top bunk and be careful not to fall out. That seemed a good idea and the teen in the top bunk put notches in the bedpost counting the days she ‘didn’t die.’ The other teen was afraid of heights and in fact tricked the first one to take the top bunk for that reason.
These young women brought their own insecurities from their own families to the camp. It seemed to have little to do with being a Latina-Canadian. You don’t hear stories of how the dominant culture made these teens feel about being Latina.
I did love the irony of the title Gringas. These women felt ‘other’ within their own Latina culture. One woman from Spain felt her Spanish was authentic and anything from anywhere else was not. Another of Colombian descent felt ‘other’ compared with someone she met who was actually from Colombia. lamented being lighter skinned than a teen she met from Colombia who was darker skinned.
The company of actors is terrific. Director Zoe Marin has created a clever, stylish production. There are moments of theatrical dance and movement in perfect synch. The actors at times speak in well-rehearsed unison, clearly and crisply. Or they talk sequentially with one teen saying one word in a sentence followed by another teen and another word so that the whole sentence is said smoothly. The acting is strong. There is a speech at the end in Spanish which is a prolonged emotional screed. I assume its purpose is for the Spanish-speaking people in the audience. I can’t tell you the name of the actor who said the speech (no program) but she is impassioned and raw. I found it such an interesting director’s choice? Playwright’s choice, for NONE of these teens to have a cell phone in the play, when the cell phone seems to be a natural extension of almost all teens’ arms it seems.
Should playwright Mercedes Isaza Clunie expand Gringas or revisit it for some reason I would hope some of these questions might be considered:
Why did these teens’ mothers want them to go to Spanish language camp? (I know the answer is obvious….I still want it articulated in the play.)
Why didn’t anyone speak Spanish to these teens at home and instill in them that part of their culture?
If these teens were spoken to in Spanish at home, why didn’t they want to learn the language that would connect them to their culture?
The teens did not want to go to Spanish language camp. Why not?
First Born Theatre Company presents:
Closed, July 28, 2024.