Amor Anejo—Milagro—SE Portland

             “A Tale as Old as Time”

    This original play, concerning the classic stories surrounding the traditional Mexican Day of the Dead, is conceived and directed by Elizabeth Huffman at their space, 525 SE Stark St., through November 10^th  (parking is a challenge in this area, so plan your time accordingly.)  For more information, go to their site at www.milagro.org or call 503-236-7253.

    This story, and its many incarnations, truly does go back in time to the Aztecs.  Most notably, the Greeks picked up on it with their stories of everlasting love of a man who was compelled to go across the river Styx to the Underworld to find his beloved.  Even recent films have reflected this theme, with Robin Williams in What Dreams May Come and the recent, animated musical, the excellent, Coco.

    Enduring Love comes in many forms and definitions.  As one poet describes it, Do not see out Love, for Love, if it finds you worth, will guide your course.  Tis true, but my favorite expression is Love is in the Eye of the Beholder.  This is the appropriate time for this story, as the Day of the Dead is fast approaching, which is remembering our loved ones by creating a personal shrine of some sort so that they can visit the earth and be honored by family and friends.

    In this tale, Hector (Richardo Vazquez) and his true love from childhood, Rosalita (Yolanda Porter) spend many happy years together when, at 84, Rosalita dies.  She was a scientist and, therefore, did not believe in the afterlife.  He, on the other hand, is an artist, painting only portraits of her which he refuses to sell, and does believe in another world after death.  But, in order to honor his dead wife’s beliefs, he discards his own notions and pretends that she is still alive and just gone for a while.

    In the after life she is visited by various spirits, all stressing that for them to be together in this afterlife, he must except the fact that she is dead and in this existence after mortal death.  So, the ensemble of spirits, Bombons (Laura DiMare, Yesenia Lopez, Carlos Manzano and Johnnie Torres) go about playing out characters in his memory to convince him that she is dead but present in the after world.  And they must do all this by the Feast of the Day of the Dead or the door between his world and hers will be closed forever.  Can Love conquer?  You’ll just have to see it to find out, won’t you?!

    This ia a lovely re-telling and re-imagining of this “tale as old as time.”  The set is very versatile and the ensemble cast even more so.  They are excellent in re-creating various family member and friends from their lives, as well as the various incarnations of the spirits themselves.  Huffman has done an amazing job of finding just the right cast, as well as simplifying the settings so that the story and characters take center stage.  There are moments of dance, humor, song, music, tragedy…all aspects of a person’s life, so easily identifiable to everyone.  (One omission, though, I would have liked to know in the credits, the artist of the paintings, as they are quite good.)

    I recommend this play.   If you do choose to see it, please tell them Dennis sent you.

--DJS