Currently Playing at The Fountain Theatre in Los Angeles Until April 10th
A Blog View by Alejandra Enciso-Dardasht
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| Foreground: Will Dixon,Rear: Michael Uribes, Marlo Su,Theo Perkins, Liana Aráuz, Camila Ascencio. Photo by Jenny Graham |
From the Obama administration that bought many good things but is also the administration with the most deportations, to Trump and we all know how that went, and now Biden and the COVID 19 pandemic. Inhumane conditions that are blind and deaf to reason. There are murderers, predators, violent criminals out there walking free. Yet, these people that made a mistake that could have easily been handled through a fine or community service, are punished basically for life with lingering consequences passed to their loved ones.
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| Christine Avila, Marlo Su, Camila Ascencio, Liana Aráuz. Photo by Jenny Graham |
The play has a very simple dynamic but exudes powerful storytelling. Eight ensemble members interpret a range of roles that mostly are in orange jumpsuits that they mix and match with other wardrobe pieces like jackets and vests speered by costume designer Jeanette Godoy. The set design by Sarah Krainin is a gray area with a door giving the idea of prison but more so, limited space which I also interpreted as a symbol for the lack of clarity or even common sense in the system. Matt Soson as the media designer has actors also film with phones on stage and it is projected to vertical screens that are on the gray walls which gives it a raw, emotional vibe that is accentuated by lighting designer Christian V. Mejia along with composer and sound designer Marc Antonio Pritchett. The ensemble is going at a high, moving pace throughout the almost 90-minute show. We see lawyers, people in custody, ICE officials, and a judge. Wonderful work with emotional delivery by Liana Aráuz, Camila Ascencio, Christine Avila, Will Dixon, Jan Munroe, Theo Perkins, Marlo Su, and Michael Uribes.
Going back to what I mentioned in the beginning about being born and raised in a border city, Mexicans seem to always hijack the narrative like Mexicans are the leaders in illegal immigration or the other common misconception that all Spanish-speaking people in the U.S are Mexican. This piece has people from all over, Argentina, Colombia, El Salvador, the Middle East, and I greatly appreciated that.
It is wonderful to have theatre companies and their producers staging pieces like this that reflect life, the intricacies of a broken justice system, and what we as citizens can do about it by researching, seeing who our candidates are, and knowing which propositions to vote on. The next step that needs to be in a near future, is to have all types of theatre companies producing these stories. The more of them there are, the more they get to and stay on our stages,
Detained is currently playing at Fountain Theatre in Los Angeles until April 10. Pay-What-You-Want seating is available every Monday night in addition to regular seating (subject to availability). For more information on performance times and ticket prices please click here.
