LA OLLA: STIRRING THE POT
REVIEW: LA OLLA
BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO
What would you do if you found a pot of gold? How would you be changed? These are the questions answered in the Latino Theatre Company’s world premiere of La Olla by Evelina Fernandez based on the Latin play by the early Roman playwright Titus Maccius Plautus. What you get here is not a strict realization of the original, rather Fernandez creates a true adaptation that reflects her Latino roots giving us a production full of comedy, music, dance and vibrant imagery set in a seedy 1950’s L.A. nightclub.
Cástulo Guerra. Photo Credit: Grettel Cortes.
Director Jose Luis Valenzuela‘s vision for the production is inspired by the rumberas film genre that flourished in Mexico during the Golden Age of Mexican cinema in the 1940s and 1950s. We see this immediately as audience is transported into the world of film noir when the characters first enter the stage form the street in shadow, accompanied by bluesy jazz music by Rosino Serrano, reminiscent of the score for Chinatown. Immediately following, there is sudden contrast as we go to the bright and energetic floorshow of the La Olla Night Club, evoking a tropical nightclub in Havana.
Sam Golzari, Fidel Gomez, Xavi Moreno, Sal Lopez, right. Photo Credit: Grettel Cortes.
A work like this, complete with a rotating set, clever double casting, cross-dressing characters, running gags, and an absurd plot, is perfectly set-up for a rollercoaster ride of hilarious hijinks and entertaining farce, alla Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors, or a work by Molière. However, what you get is steady carousel that favors amusement over gushing comicality. Yes, there are many delightful characters and visual elements, but there’s no escalation, or momentum to set the pace of this work that has so much potential. Should Valenzuela simply propel the actors to tighten the action and hasten the physical comedy La Olla has the opportunity become a treasure-trove of theatrical comedy.
Esperanza America, left and Sam Golzari. Photo Credit: Grettel Cortes.
Two of the strongest performances in this production are Esperanza America (Phaedira/La Diva) and Sam Golzari (Lyconides/Sam/Eel). America fully commits to her comical roles and makes every appearance memorable; additionally her singing voice is equally superior. Golzari is a consummate actor; he masterfully transitions between the three roles maintaining each character’s traits, humor and motivations.
Although only a minor character, Cástulo Guerra’s (Sobersides) performance is strong and commanding—all the motivations of his character are straightforward and consistent. Playwright Evelina Fernández takes a role as the alcoholic stage manager Staphyla. She engagingly realizes the role and lets you know she’s enjoying every minute of playing this aloof character. Sal Lopez (Euclio) plays the greedy miser who happens upon the pot of gold and lets it overtake him—Lopez’s performance works for the role, but longs for more dimension to make his character more relatable.
Sal Lopez Photo Credit: Grettel Cortes.
Overall, The Latino Theatre Company’s La Olla is an entertaining and quirky theater piece that is sure to delight; it’s a rare treat to see pure Latino theater in the melting pot that is the our beloved city of L.A. La Olla runs from March 26-April 24th at the Los Angeles Theatre Center in Downtown L.A. for more information and tickets visit: www.thelatc.org.
