Latest news with #TeatroLaPlaza
Sydney Morning Herald
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Audiences stayed away from this Hamlet. But then word got out ...
It all began with a staff meeting. For years, Teatro La Plaza director Chela De Ferrari had been mulling a production of Hamlet but had no luck finding an actor to anchor it. Then, during a meeting, theatre usher Jaime Cruz announced his desire to act, and something sparked for De Ferrari. She invited him for coffee. 'During that conversation, I suddenly saw him wearing the prince's crown,' she says. 'I imagined those iconic words, 'To be or not to be', spoken by someone whose very right to be in public, artistic, and professional spaces is so often questioned. It changed everything. 'What if this role wasn't meant to be held by one iconic actor, but rather to be shared — to become a collective voice?' Cruz, like almost every actor in Peruvian theatre company Teatro La Plaza's Hamlet, has Down syndrome. He is Hamlet, but so are all the other seven actors at various stages of the play. Through a year-long workshop and performances around the globe, the production, which comes to Melbourne's Rising festival next month, has become much more than a Shakespearian adaption. Performed in Spanish with English subtitles, it showcases the talents and dreams of its cast, using their experiences to shape the content of the play. 'Unlike a traditional casting process, we weren't searching for polished performances or technical precision,' De Ferrari says. 'Quite the opposite. We deliberately embraced traits that would usually be seen as obstacles in conventional theatre: difficulty vocalising, stuttering, extended silences, blank moments or shifts in rhythm.' She explains that the production wasn't looking to 'fix' these traits, but rather incorporate them into the script and the action. De Ferrari was careful to ensure that the company understood the 'nature and intention' of the play on which they were all collaborating. 'If participants were unable to grasp the creative and conceptual framework of the production, the process could have veered into representation without agency,' she says. 'Our goal was not simply to include neurodiverse actors, but to co-create a piece of theatre in which their perspectives, experiences and choices held real authorship.' At one point, three Ophelias share the stage, and their dreams. One wants to live independently, work, and buy her parents dinner with her very own credit card. Another wants to meet a boy online and then go to Mars with him, and the third wants to have eight children with her boyfriend and watch them grow up to become Hamlet. 'For a moment, they weren't just interpreting a character — they were reshaping her, infusing her with their own voices,' De Ferrari says. Hamlet himself also has many forms, and the production twists and turns and moves and entertains in endlessly surprising ways. Audiences are told that the production is 'inclusive' and there's no mandate to be quiet, or stay seated, or not look at your phone. At New York's Lincoln Centre, there was even a chill-out zone in case the Bard became too much. De Ferrari says while some audience members used to more traditional theatre might baulk initially, they usually come around. '[The inclusive performance] creates a kind of mirror. The freedom that exists on stage is reflected in the audience, and vice versa. We're not just performing a play – we're sharing a space where different ways of being are fully welcomed. That mutual recognition is one of the most powerful aspects of the experience.' Towards the end of the play, there is a beautiful moment of audience participation that powerfully illustrates the way this cast has worked to subvert expectations and ideas about Down syndrome. It is one of those special experiences that good theatre is all about, creating connection, empathy and understanding of lives and emotions the audience might not otherwise be able to access. 'The result is often hilarious — but also moving,' De Ferrari says. 'The audience laughs, relaxes, learns. They're being gently invited to let go of control and see the world through someone else's eyes. What began as a comic interaction ends up offering a reflection on who usually gets to be in the spotlight — and who is asked to stand still and stay quiet.' Video, live music, pre-recorded sound, projection, choreography and audience interaction are all seamlessly incorporated by the cast, who work together and on their own to command the stage with true authority and talent. Throughout, Shakespeare's words and plot are merged with the words, hopes and dreams of the cast. This Hamlet is less a tragedy and more a tale of rebirth. To assemble this cast and tell this story is a masterful feat, one that De Ferrari says took a full year of 'improvisation, writing and reflecting'. Loading 'Each actor specialised in one character, studying and embodying them through drawings, songs and personal memories. From there, we shaped the script. I would write drafts at home and bring them into rehearsal, where we'd test them and refine them together,' she says. That process allowed for every voice to be heard. De Ferrari says early audiences weren't sure what to make of the show when it debuted in Lima, Peru, in 2019. 'Some people told us they celebrated the fact that we were doing this play ... but didn't feel comfortable attending. Ticket sales were slow. But by the third week, the theatre was full thanks in part to the community of families, parents and organisations who truly understood the significance of the project but also because of word of mouth. Every person who saw the play left the theatre recommending it with energy and enthusiasm.' Since then, Hamlet has toured Europe, Asia, North and South America and the United Kingdom. Melbourne is next. 'Bringing Hamlet to Melbourne as part of Rising is a profound honour for us,' De Ferrari says. 'We are also thrilled to explore Melbourne itself – a city celebrated for its rich arts scene, and diverse culinary offerings ... as Peruvians, we are always interested in discovering new culinary experiences.' In the meantime, De Ferrari and her cast are also adapting Twelfth Night, using the same process. 'We want to explore love in all its forms, as well as the complexity of sibling relationships – especially when one sibling has a disability and the other does not. In our story, one of the twins has Down syndrome, and the other is neurotypical.' Loading De Ferrari says the goal with both productions is to reimagine Shakespeare and use those well-known narratives as a springboard for new ones.
The Age
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
Audiences stayed away from this Hamlet. But then word got out ...
It all began with a staff meeting. For years, Teatro La Plaza director Chela De Ferrari had been mulling a production of Hamlet but had no luck finding an actor to anchor it. Then, during a meeting, theatre usher Jaime Cruz announced his desire to act, and something sparked for De Ferrari. She invited him for coffee. 'During that conversation, I suddenly saw him wearing the prince's crown,' she says. 'I imagined those iconic words, 'To be or not to be', spoken by someone whose very right to be in public, artistic, and professional spaces is so often questioned. It changed everything. 'What if this role wasn't meant to be held by one iconic actor, but rather to be shared — to become a collective voice?' Cruz, like almost every actor in Peruvian theatre company Teatro La Plaza's Hamlet, has Down syndrome. He is Hamlet, but so are all the other seven actors at various stages of the play. Through a year-long workshop and performances around the globe, the production, which comes to Melbourne's Rising festival next month, has become much more than a Shakespearian adaption. Performed in Spanish with English subtitles, it showcases the talents and dreams of its cast, using their experiences to shape the content of the play. 'Unlike a traditional casting process, we weren't searching for polished performances or technical precision,' De Ferrari says. 'Quite the opposite. We deliberately embraced traits that would usually be seen as obstacles in conventional theatre: difficulty vocalising, stuttering, extended silences, blank moments or shifts in rhythm.' She explains that the production wasn't looking to 'fix' these traits, but rather incorporate them into the script and the action. De Ferrari was careful to ensure that the company understood the 'nature and intention' of the play on which they were all collaborating. 'If participants were unable to grasp the creative and conceptual framework of the production, the process could have veered into representation without agency,' she says. 'Our goal was not simply to include neurodiverse actors, but to co-create a piece of theatre in which their perspectives, experiences and choices held real authorship.' At one point, three Ophelias share the stage, and their dreams. One wants to live independently, work, and buy her parents dinner with her very own credit card. Another wants to meet a boy online and then go to Mars with him, and the third wants to have eight children with her boyfriend and watch them grow up to become Hamlet. 'For a moment, they weren't just interpreting a character — they were reshaping her, infusing her with their own voices,' De Ferrari says. Hamlet himself also has many forms, and the production twists and turns and moves and entertains in endlessly surprising ways. Audiences are told that the production is 'inclusive' and there's no mandate to be quiet, or stay seated, or not look at your phone. At New York's Lincoln Centre, there was even a chill-out zone in case the Bard became too much. De Ferrari says while some audience members used to more traditional theatre might baulk initially, they usually come around. '[The inclusive performance] creates a kind of mirror. The freedom that exists on stage is reflected in the audience, and vice versa. We're not just performing a play – we're sharing a space where different ways of being are fully welcomed. That mutual recognition is one of the most powerful aspects of the experience.' Towards the end of the play, there is a beautiful moment of audience participation that powerfully illustrates the way this cast has worked to subvert expectations and ideas about Down syndrome. It is one of those special experiences that good theatre is all about, creating connection, empathy and understanding of lives and emotions the audience might not otherwise be able to access. 'The result is often hilarious — but also moving,' De Ferrari says. 'The audience laughs, relaxes, learns. They're being gently invited to let go of control and see the world through someone else's eyes. What began as a comic interaction ends up offering a reflection on who usually gets to be in the spotlight — and who is asked to stand still and stay quiet.' Video, live music, pre-recorded sound, projection, choreography and audience interaction are all seamlessly incorporated by the cast, who work together and on their own to command the stage with true authority and talent. Throughout, Shakespeare's words and plot are merged with the words, hopes and dreams of the cast. This Hamlet is less a tragedy and more a tale of rebirth. To assemble this cast and tell this story is a masterful feat, one that De Ferrari says took a full year of 'improvisation, writing and reflecting'. Loading 'Each actor specialised in one character, studying and embodying them through drawings, songs and personal memories. From there, we shaped the script. I would write drafts at home and bring them into rehearsal, where we'd test them and refine them together,' she says. That process allowed for every voice to be heard. De Ferrari says early audiences weren't sure what to make of the show when it debuted in Lima, Peru, in 2019. 'Some people told us they celebrated the fact that we were doing this play ... but didn't feel comfortable attending. Ticket sales were slow. But by the third week, the theatre was full thanks in part to the community of families, parents and organisations who truly understood the significance of the project but also because of word of mouth. Every person who saw the play left the theatre recommending it with energy and enthusiasm.' Since then, Hamlet has toured Europe, Asia, North and South America and the United Kingdom. Melbourne is next. 'Bringing Hamlet to Melbourne as part of Rising is a profound honour for us,' De Ferrari says. 'We are also thrilled to explore Melbourne itself – a city celebrated for its rich arts scene, and diverse culinary offerings ... as Peruvians, we are always interested in discovering new culinary experiences.' In the meantime, De Ferrari and her cast are also adapting Twelfth Night, using the same process. 'We want to explore love in all its forms, as well as the complexity of sibling relationships – especially when one sibling has a disability and the other does not. In our story, one of the twins has Down syndrome, and the other is neurotypical.' Loading De Ferrari says the goal with both productions is to reimagine Shakespeare and use those well-known narratives as a springboard for new ones.
Kuwait Times
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Kuwait Times
Actors with Down syndrome tear down barriers in London show
It's one of William Shakespeare's most existential questions, "To be or not to be?" Now a group of globe-trotting Peruvian actors with Down syndrome are tackling it head-on, breaking down prejudice and barriers. Cristina Leon, Jaime Cruz and Manuel Garcia are members of the eight-strong group that performed "Hamlet" at London's Barbican center last week. "This play shows... there are no barriers, that we can do lots of things, and people must open their eyes to the fact that we can do anything they ask us," Leon, 32, told AFP. The project was launched seven years ago born out of Cruz's dreams of becoming an actor. He was working as an usher in the Teatro La Plaza in Lima and had never thought that his Down syndrome was an obstacle in life. "I have always wanted to be an actor. One day there was an event (at the Lima theatre) in which you had to introduce yourself, and I said my name and said I was an actor," the 30-year-old said. Jaime Cruz (left), Alvaro Toledo (second left), Lucas Demarchi (center) Octavio Bernaza (right) and Manuel Garcia (second right) perform during a dress-rehearsal of their production 'Hamlet'. Ximena Rodriguez (left) and Octavio Bernaza (right) are prepared backstage before performing a dress-rehearsal of their production 'Hamlet' . Cristina Leon Barandiaran (left) and Jaime Cruz, members of the Peruvian company Teatro La Plaza perform during a dress-rehearsal. Jaime Cruz perform during a dress-rehearsal of their production 'Hamlet' . Diana Gutierrez (left), Octavio Bernaza (center) and Manuel Garcia (right), all members of the Peruvian company Teatro La Plaza perform during a dress-rehearsal of their production 'Hamlet'. Alvaro Toledo (left), Octavio Bernaza (center) and Manuel Garcia perform during a dress-rehearsal of their production 'Hamlet'. He added that he wanted to overcome "prejudices, myths and barriers". His words inspired the theatre's artistic director Chela de Ferrari, who has now adapted the masterpiece for the eight actors and brought it to the land of Shakespeare's birth. "He really caught my attention, and I thought to myself I really need to have a more in-depth discussion with him," she told AFP. "We went to a cafe, and while we were talking I had a vision of him wearing the prince's crown and I thought about the meaning that Jaime could bring to Hamlet's famous words 'To be or not to be'," she said. 'Form of resistance' A casting session was organized and seven other actors were chosen for the group. "Jaime made me face my own prejudices, my deep ignorance about the reality. I think what the public experiences mirrors exactly what happened to me," de Ferrari said. Three years ago the group was invited to visit Spain, and since then they have toured the world. Alvaro Toledo (center) and members of the Peruvian company Teatro La Plaza perform during a dress-rehearsal. Ximena Rodriguez and Lucas Demarchi perform during a dress-rehearsal of their production 'Hamlet'. Octavio Bernaza perform during a dress-rehearsal of their production 'Hamlet'. Octavio Bernaza perform during a dress-rehearsal of their production 'Hamlet'. Diana Gutierrez (left), Manuel Garcia (second left), Cristina Leon Barandiaran (second right), and Octavio Bernaza perform during a dress-rehearsal of their production 'Hamlet'. Octavio Bernaza (left) and members of the Peruvian company Teatro La Plaza perform during a dress-rehearsal of their production 'Hamlet'. The show had a sold-out run at the Edinburgh International Festival last year, with The Guardian praising the cast's interpretation of the tragedy of the Danish prince as "upbeat", adding it "oozes charm, humor and imagination". "I don't think it's the only play with actors with Down syndrome, but I don't think other groups have travelled as much," de Ferrari said. This year, the group of five men and three women will also be performing in Brighton in southern England as well as 35 other towns and cities, including Seoul, Melbourne, Toronto in Canada, and New York and Chicago in the United States. They act in Spanish with surtitles in other languages for local non-Spanish speaking audiences. "In today's society everyone puts up limits. They tell us all the time that we cannot do things," said Garcia, 32. "With what we are seeing in the world, attacks on certain values such as diversity, it's a good moment to present these projects. It's also a form of resistance," added de Ferrari. "Instead of rejecting people who have speech problems or stutter, we embrace this diversity," she said proudly. - AFP
Malay Mail
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
Breaking barriers: Peruvian actors with Down syndrome challenge norms with ‘Hamlet' performance in London
LONDON, May 1 — It's one of William Shakespeare's most existential questions, 'To be or not to be?' Now a group of globe-trotting Peruvian actors with Down syndrome are tackling it head-on, breaking down prejudice and barriers. Cristina Leon, Jaime Cruz and Manuel Garcia are members of the eight-strong group that performed Hamlet at London's Barbican centre last week. 'This play shows... there are no barriers, that we can do lots of things, and people must open their eyes to the fact that we can do anything they ask us,' Leon, 32, told AFP. The project was launched seven years ago born out of Cruz's dreams of becoming an actor. He was working as an usher in the Teatro La Plaza in Lima and had never thought that his Down syndrome was an obstacle in life. Octavio Bernaza, a member of the Peruvian company Teatro La Plaza perform during a dress-rehearsal of their production 'Hamlet' at The Barbican Theatre in London, UK on April 24, 2025, ahead of their London premiere. — Reuters pic 'I have always wanted to be an actor. One day there was an event (at the Lima theatre) in which you had to introduce yourself, and I said my name and said I was an actor,' the 30-year-old said. He added that he wanted to overcome 'prejudices, myths and barriers'. His words inspired the theatre's artistic director Chela de Ferrari, who has now adapted the masterpiece for the eight actors and brought it to the land of Shakespeare's birth. 'He really caught my attention, and I thought to myself I really need to have a more in-depth discussion with him,' she told AFP. 'We went to a cafe, and while we were talking I had a vision of him wearing the prince's crown and I thought about the meaning that Jaime could bring to Hamlet's famous words 'To be or not to be',' she said. (From left) Diana Gutierrez, Manuel Garcia, Cristina Leon Barandiaran and Octavio Bernaza, all members of the Peruvian company Teatro La Plaza perform during a dress-rehearsal of their production 'Hamlet' at The Barbican Theatre in London April 24, 2025, ahead of their London premiere. — Reuters pic 'Form of resistance' A casting session was organised and seven other actors were chosen for the group. 'Jaime made me face my own prejudices, my deep ignorance about the reality. I think what the public experiences mirrors exactly what happened to me,' de Ferrari said. Three years ago, the group was invited to visit Spain, and since then they have toured the world. The show had a sold-out run at the Edinburgh International Festival last year, with The Guardian praising the cast's interpretation of the tragedy of the Danish prince as 'upbeat', adding it 'oozes charm, humour and imagination'. 'I don't think it's the only play with actors with Down syndrome, but I don't think other groups have travelled as much,' de Ferrari said. This year, the group of five men and three women will also be performing in Brighton in southern England as well as 35 other towns and cities, including Seoul, Melbourne, Toronto in Canada, and New York and Chicago in the United States. They act in Spanish with surtitles in other languages for local non-Spanish speaking audiences. 'In today's society everyone puts up limits. They tell us all the time that we cannot do things,' said Garcia, 32. 'With what we are seeing in the world, attacks on certain values such as diversity, it's a good moment to present these projects. It's also a form of resistance,' added de Ferrari. 'Instead of rejecting people who have speech problems or stutter, we embrace this diversity,' she said proudly. — AFP
Straits Times
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Actors with Down syndrome tear down barriers in London show
LONDON - It is one of English playwright William Shakespeare's most existential questions 'to be or not to be?'. Now a group of globe-trotting Peruvian actors with Down syndrome are tackling it head-on, breaking down prejudice and barriers. Cristina Leon, Jaime Cruz and Manuel Garcia are members of the eight-strong group currently performing Shakespeare's Hamlet at the Barbican Centre in London from April 24 to 27. 'This play shows that we can be included in everything at work, and in education,' Leon, 32, told AFP. 'There are no barriers, we can do lots of things, and people must open their eyes to the fact that we can do anything they ask us.' The project was launched seven years ago born out of Cruz's dreams of becoming an actor. He was working as an usher in the Teatro La Plaza in Lima and had never thought that his Down syndrome was an obstacle in life. 'I have always wanted to be an actor,' the 30-year-old said. 'One day there was an event (at the Lima theatre) in which you had to introduce yourself, and I said my name and said I was an actor.' He added that he wanted to overcome 'prejudices, myths and barriers'. His words inspired the theatre's artistic director Chela de Ferrari, who has now adapted the play for the eight actors and brought it to the land of Shakespeare's birth. 'He really caught by attention, and I thought to myself I really need to have a more in-depth discussion with him,' she told AFP. 'We went to a cafe, and while we were talking I had a vision of him wearing the prince's crown and I thought about the meaning that Jaime could bring to Hamlet's famous words 'to be or not to be',' she said. 'Form of resistance' A casting session was organised and seven other actors were chosen for the group. 'Jaime made me face my own prejudices, my deep ignorance about the reality,' de Ferrari said. 'I think what the public experiences mirrors exactly what happened to me.' Three years ago, the group was invited to visit Spain, and since then they have toured the world. The show had a sold-out run at the Edinburgh International Festival in 2024, with The Guardian praising the cast's interpretation of the normally depressing tale of the Danish prince as 'upbeat', adding it 'oozes charm, humour and imagination'. 'I don't think it's the only play with actors with Down syndrome, but I don't think other groups have travelled as much,' de Ferrari said. In 2025, the group of five men and three women will also be performing in Brighton in southern England as well as 35 other towns and cities, including Seoul in South Korea, Melbourne in Australia, Toronto in Canada, and New York and Chicago in the United States. They act in Spanish with sub-titles in other languages for local non-Spanish speaking audiences. 'In today's society everyone puts up limits. They tell us all the time that we cannot do things,' said Garcia, 32. 'With what we are seeing in the world, attacks on certain values such as diversity, it's a good moment to present these projects. It's also a form of resistance,' added de Ferrari. 'Instead of rejecting people who have speech problems or stutter, we embrace this diversity,' she said proudly. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
