Onstage Playhouse World Premiere Fragment/o/s of Air/e by Carla Navarro
There are days like these when the theatre fatigue is kicking in, and the questions of what to do about it arise. Like, is there something to do? Is it just that? Fatigue? And then, plays like Carla Navarro’s Fragment/o/s of Air/e premiere, bringing a gust of fresh air and yes, a (semi) sense of purpose. I say it like that because I am just a woman who truly loves the arts and firmly believes in their transformative and healing power.
Fragment/o/s of Air/e came about through Onstage Playhouse’s Page to Stage program. Artistic director James P. Darvas (who also directs the piece) invited Carla to participate, and she states in the show’s program that she knew the story she wanted to write. Navarro is Chilean-American, and this feels to me like six degrees of separation, but with Chile specifically. This year, I read La Casa de los Espíritus by Chilean author Isabel Allende, who was exiled first in Venezuela and then in the United States due to Pinochet’s dictatorship. There is a Hollywood movie version of ‘La Casa that I have yet to bring myself to see. Because the book is so good and magical… well, speaking of Hollywood movies and the six degrees of separation, The Fantastic Four was just released with current heartthrob Pedro Pascal, who was also exiled with his family due to Pinochet’s dictatorship to Denmark and then the United States. Pascal’s mother, along with his three siblings, returned to Chile and died by suicide in the year 2000.
Fragment/o/s of Air/e revolves around this: Chile, Augusto Pinochet, and his seventeen-year dictatorship. Nina (Valeria Vega) and Armando (Arturo Medina) escaped from Chile and arrived in California expecting their first child, whom they lovingly call “Flaco” (Lester Isariuz). Later came Chivi (Maya Sofía Enciso), born in California. The children have grown into adults, and the couple is no longer together. When Chivi, who is studying to be a lawyer, decides to go back to the motherland without ever setting foot there and being in contact with a person from Nina’s past, a long-hidden truth suddenly emerges. The one-act play is enthralling and goes by fast. You would think I am biased and that I am the Spanish language patrol in San Diego and American theatre overall. And, aha, you could say I am patrolling – not intentionally – but, just like I mentioned in the review for TuYo’s La Llorona. This play is beautifully and organically bilingual, which means: well articulated, naturally flowing, and making sense. This is how a bilingual play should sound, regardless of the language—another example, Blindspot’s 2023 production, Kagitingan, which had English, Tagalog, and Pangasinan. O sea, si se puede.
Onstage is known for bringing strong pieces to the stage, and James P. Darvas is a master in directing the casts for these, getting the emotion with the timing to perfect fruition. Maya has a firm intention and histrionic presence. At the same time, Valeria delivered powerful, heartwrenching scenes that anchored the core of the play, moving throughout Patrick Mason’s set design of the family home, using the whole space and dividing the frame into three, giving depth. Brad Dubois’ costumes are both playful and bohemian. I especially liked Chivi’s attire as well as Flaco’s, which was sharp and fitting. Lester Isarius, who is debuting at Onstage with this play, delivered fantastic scenes with the three actors. Still, the best ones were with his stage sister as they brought tension and suspense to the moment, as well as comedic relief. Arturo Medina is tender as Armando and pairs seamlessly with Valeria, enhancing the dynamic of their scenes. Jaden Guerrero has designed the sound for Onstage’s season, and in this production, there are key sounds that prompt chills and are also key to the story.
I am unaware if this was part of Jaden’s design, but within the show, the song “Matador” by Argentinian band Los Fabulosos Cadillacs serves as the soundtrack. The song is about a Latin American hero and is dedicated to Chilean musician Víctor Jara, assassinated during the dictatorship. Aside from being a fantastic song, it was a pertinent touch. (edit added).
This, along with Ginger Chody’s lighting that goes from cold to warm from scene to scene, accentuates the meaning of not only what is happening but the story too.
Referencing playwright Carla’s program note again, this play was also to honor those who have carried their stories in silence for many reasons—trauma and moving on, for example. Inviting others to speak, listen, and remember. The way things are going in the world right now, shining a light on this and how it continues to linger is essential.
Ni Perdón, Ni Olvido.
Fragment/o/s of Air/e is currently playing until August 17.
The stage manager for this production is Rhae Ferrer.
