Theatre Review: La Dama Boba Is A Smart Love Story
This classic, Spaniard play is not the easiest transition while valuing its original text. Yet, Director Leyma Lopez has done a marvelous job of making La Dama Boba a tale of how love makes you smart. Contrary to popular belief, true love, can be an endless serving of wisdom because it makes you grow. You want to be better for the person that makes you feel good, and nobody embodies that quite like our lead.
If there is one thing about Latino culture that I ADORE, it is our humor. We are known for our cheer, and we can laugh at ourselves as much as joke with anyone because our comedy is a perfect blend of silliness and wit. Al principio, Zulema Clares (Finea) plays La Dama Boba like the biggest idiot on the planet, but hilarity and innocence charms us to bear with ditziness. She is a woman that DOES NOT WANT TO LEARN. She does not need to read, write, or walk upright. Why? Life is what it is, and it does not need to go anywhere. She confounds ignorance with being present to the chagrin of her father (a stern Frank Rodriguez as Octavio) and her beautiful, yet manipulative sister, Maria Fontanals (Nise). Moreover, Gerardo Gudino as Maestro Miseno, Sandra Gumuzzio as Clara, Cesar Burguera as Pedro, Fernando Gazzaniga as Turin, Sando Juan ads Liseo, and Maria Buoninconti as Celia are hilarious as constant aids and foils to Finea’s growth and ultimate lesson that no plan can ever outwit love’s plan for you. Thus, the love of a poet, Ariel Texidó as Laurencio, with his own plot for her money, makes her want to better herself and, in turn, discover that being better for you is equally as valuable.
Let’s be honest! We all have tried to step our game to make our crush look at us. Yes, it is the 21st century, and I am for our empowerment but I am also for truth. Love makes you dress, talk, and even think differently, You want to impress the person you are dating, and, in turn, find out that you are pretty impressive to yourself. Texidó is so good as Laurencia because, while for most of us, being in love is a confidence boost, to him, it is a humbler. He already walks through life like a 10 one zero short of 100. Yet, love makes him more grounded. He goes from a man who wants it all to a man that feels like he has enough ,and Clares’ Finea goes from an idiot unwilling to a grow to woman ready to discover more. It is a beautiful juxtaposition that they play with perfect, romantic chemistry.
With a very simple set of just two ramps under bright, yellow lighting and vibrant vestuario by Maria Brites, the actors were perfect in making their emotions paint the setting. The way they used their voices and bodies to deliver every centuries old line allowed us to be transported to a time when Spain had powerful kings and Don Quixote was the new release. I loved that because it means that though Lope De Vega wrote this play in 1613, it still rings true to love’s universal and timeless capacity to transform us into our better selves. La Dama Boba is playing until May 13 at Repertorio Español. Buy Tickets Here. Located: 138 East 27th Street, New York, NY 10016
