Compañia de Teatro Físico’s LOS REGALOS at the Dance Center and Physical Theater Festival Chicago.

Physical Theater Festival Chicago is curated collection of live performances from around the world, meant to inspire theatergoers and local artists to reimagine what a live theater experience can be and do across cultures, languages, and genres. Now in its 13^th year, the festival was founded to introduce a more progressive, physical approach to theater-making in Chicago. The festival showcases award-winning, ensemble-created works spanning traditions such as clown, mime, improv, puppetry, object theater, circus, dance, and street performance, while also highlighting outstanding artists and companies from Chicago.

Last Night, I was lucky to catch COMPAÑIA DE TEATRO’S (The Physical Theater Company) LOS REGALOS (The Gifts). The company is from Peru, where it was founded in 2014 with the goal to create stage works using languages that speak from the body and for the body.

LOS REGALOS tells the story of a family. A single father and his two sons grow up, grow apart, and grow old together. All the performers wore masks reminiscent of Commedia del arte or Japanese Noh, leaving them to emote, express and communicate only through their bodies. It’s a powerful, visceral experience, to follow a story filled with passion in which no one has a face.

It is a cast of three: Miquel De La Rocha plays the Father with an easy grace. His thoughts play out over his body so expressively, I soon forgot his mask. Diego Sakuray plays the Youngest Son with an explosive, physically stunning performance including pratfalls so realistic, I found myself wondering how they were achieved without special affects (virtuosity is the answer). Sakuray whips seamlessly from frantic child, to toddling babe, to family dog with an effortlessness that must be seen to be believed. Eduardo Cardozo, one of the founders of the company along with Diego Sakuray and Director Fernando Castro, plays the Oldest Son. Cardozo’s Son is a frustrated, solid sort. You get the impression that he is always straining for attention, meaning, and love.

A special mention must also be made of the beautiful set and media component of the experience. The stage is draped in huge, linen swaths; props are carried on and off by the actors. Chalk-like line drawings build and change behind them, reflecting their home, their hearth, or telling part of their story. The drawings are as minimalistic and expressive as the actors are in their simple, beige linen. The muted color and soft, yellow light create an atmosphere of emotional expression that is wholly engrossing and carried the audience with them on their journey through life.

The summary of the show in English is:

“A father and his two sons live in a house. The most routine tasks, such as preparing breakfast, bathing or housework t urn into real adventures when tackled by three inexperienced men and their fear of not knowing what they are doing. The journey that. The elder brothers needs to make in order to leave home, and the fear of saying goodbye to the ones we love, will be the starting point of our story.” The Spanish description suggests that when the elder brother prepares to leave home, his younger brother and father need to learn to communicate.

Neither summary reflects the performance I attended. This is the story of a family over time, told in tight little chapters that jump through time. In each vignette, they argue, play, battle and come to solutions. Circumstances change, sometimes, they even flip completely, as each individual takes a turn as a caregiver, protector, antagonizer or ally. They are always communicating with their bodies, both to each other and to the audience. This performance is wholly in keeping with the goal of the theater festival. It tells a story, through live theater, in a way that is unique, compelling and powerful. Be sure to check it out.

Highly Recommended

Reviewed by Alina C. Hevia

LOS REGALOS is at The Dance Center at Columbia College Friday, June 5 at 8:00pm, and Saturday, June 6 at 2:00pm and 6:00pm. Run time is 60 minutes. Tickets for LOS REGALOS and the rest of the Physical Theater Festival can be found at: https://www.theaterwit.org/tickets/productions/box_office

To learn more about Physical Theater Festival Chicago, click here: https://www.physicalfestival.com/about

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.