Theater Review: 'Laughs in Spanish' at Hartford Stage

Review by Nancy Sasso Janis

Hartford Stage is offering audiences “Laughs in Spanish,” onstage through March 30. The play is the work of Alexis Scheer and the Hartford production is directed by Lisa Portes, a director, educator and advocate who was the co-founder of Latinx Theatre Company

“Laughs in Spanish” was originally produced at the Denver Center Theatre Company. It was the playwright’s graduate thesis play when she studied for an MFA at Boston University. This play “was the start of me owning my experience and expressing it through my work,” Scheer says. She is currently writing the book for the stage adaptation of Jerry Herman’s “Mrs. Santa Claus," scheduled to premiere this year at Goodspeed Musicals.

Melia Bensussen and Cynthia Rider mention in their program note that the play “shows how we all shift tones of voice and attitude when toggling between cultures and environments,” specifically shifting between English and Spanish. While this is certainly a thread that runs through Scheer’s work, there is much more to the story. At its heart “is how we learn to forgive each other, our parents, our children, for not living up to our expectations of what family should be.”

The plot is essentially a silly art heist set in the Wynwood neighborhood of Miami, Florida during Art Basel, the center of the massive Miami Arts Week. The title was inspired by a subtitle “Cries in Spanish” on a meme of a woman crying on a Spanish telenovela.

This is a face-paced comedy with plenty of laughs. What this play does well is how it invites Latinx audiences to experience a familiar place and feel seen, and at the same time urges those from other cultures to come to the party and enjoy the comedy. Spanish-speakers will catch the inside jokes, while others may miss the lines delivered in strongly-accented English. There are many elements to be enjoyed by everyone in the audience.

Maggie Bofill makes her Hartford Stage debut as the movie star Estella, the mother of Marianna. Bofill appeared in the world premiere of this play in Denver and does fine work in this delicious role.

Stephanie Machado plays the young Marianna, the manager of the art gallery. Machado was part of the world premiere and earned an MFA in acting at Yale School of Drama. Is it a coincidence that the character of her mother shares that she learned how to erase her Spanish accent at Yale?

Maria Victoria Martinez is delightful as the young artist Carolina who is an intern at the art gallery.

Luis Vega, another veteran of the world premiere, charms the audience in the role of Juan, a police officer in love with Carolina. Olivia Hebert, who also was part of the world premiere in Denver, takes on the role of Jenny, Estella’s newest assistant.

Cynthia Santos DeCure, who worked with the cast of the play “Queen of Basel” when it was produced at TheaterWorks Hartford, worked with the cast as dialect and voice coach, emphasizing the code-switching.

Brian Sidney Bembridge has invented a scenic design that is deceptively simple at the top of the show and comes to life as the action progresses. Costumes designed by Harry Nadal have a colorful Miami vibe and suit the characters very well. Lighting by Sherrice Mojgani is unobtrusive and original music and sound design by Daniela Hart/UptownWorks adds to the sounds of Miami.

The production is dedicated to the memory of Hartford Stage Company founder Jacques Cartier who passed away in December of last year at the age of 94. Cartier was a theater director, literary scholar and war veteran who opened the original building in 1963. He directed the first production of “Othello” in 1964.

“Laughs in Spanish” is presented without an intermission and runs about 90 minutes. You can be part of the comedic joy through March 30. Get tickets at HartfordStage.org. Next up will be “Romeo & Juliet” opening on April 17.

Nancy Sasso Janis is the membership chair of the Connecticut Critics Circle. Reviews by all members are posted at ctcritics.org.