Some things just sound better in Spanish. For example, would you rather go to the theater to see a play or an espectáculo? Well, our theater class headed to the Sala Cuarta Pared to watch our first espectáculo of the semester on Thursday night and I left impressed, if a little confused.
Of course, the first production we see couldn't be a Spanish language version of something easy to understand, like Annie or Oliver Twist. No, instead we saw La Ventana de Chygrinskiy (or Chygrinskiy's Window for those of you keeping score at home). If I were to give you an in-depth account of what went on, I'd be lying because I didn't understand half of what was said. Part of the misunderstanding was because some of the play was in Ukrainian but most of it was down to the fact that the actors spoke about a mile a minute. You win some, you lose some I guess.
From what I was able to understand, the plot of the espectáculo revolved around five characters living in the same apartment building. One, Chygrinskiy, is a real life soccer player who played a couple of seasons for FC Barcelona before being voted by fans as the Spanish league's worst player in 2010. He's now back playing in his native Ukraine. Still, the dude had a play written about him. Chygrinskiy (spelled a little differently in the play than on the back of his jersey) has a window in his room in which he can see his mother in snowy Ukraine. The only problem is, the play is set in not-so-snowy Spain, which is in fact quite far from Ukraine.
For most of the play, the actors engaged one another in over the top comedy (I understood a few of the jokes, I think) but the play ended on a strangely somber note. I'm sure there was some deeper meaning or take away message, but it completely went over my head.
The theater itself was one of my favorite parts--an old car garage turned into into an "alternative theater." If you're a fan of the show Friends, think one of the small little theaters in which the group watches Joey perform.
Overall, quite the experience. Can't wait for the next espectáculo!
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