Huinca—Milagro—SE Portland

        The Mythology of Us

    This world premiere is written by Marilo Nunez and directed by Reina Solunaya.  It is playing at their space, 525 SE Stark St., through January 18^th.  For more information, go to their site at www.milagro.org

    All civilizations have their own stories of how we, this earth and even space and time began.  Most of the cultures…Romans, Greeks, Africans, Native Americans, et. al., of the world have similarities in the development of Us and our ancestors.  Most of them, including this South American one, have a series of gods ruling the Skyland but, taking on human characteristics, finding there is strive even among such noble beings.  This strife causes violence, which causes such disruptions that  the earth is created almost by accident, as a way for the gods do something creative with their endless time…and so, this rock we inhabit, is a sort-of playground…a testing site for their skills.  To be honest, looking at the results now, it seems we may be a big disappointment for them!

    The gods and humans in this case are beautifully portrayed by a cast of just four actors…Emily Hogan, Ajai Terrazas Tripathi, Nick Median and Cati Rangel.  They encompass their beings in song, dance, stylized movement, dialogue and monologue.

 

    It seems the gods have entrusted one of their own, Millaray Cayancura (Hogan) to guide Chile through a particularly difficult time in their development.  The native people’s land is being swallowed up by outsiders, land barons, supervised by the ruthless, Karl Carver (Medina), intent on robbing trees and natural resources from the rightful owners of this property.  But the rebels are united by a powerful speaker in the guise of Manuel Huillipan (Tripathi) and so it is up to a young Canadian lawyer (Rangel), to defend the native population.  You’ll just have to see it to discover how it all turns out.

    This is a very topical story, which has been repeated in most countries, many times over.  “The rich get richer and the poor get poorer, in the meantime, in between time, ain’t we got fun!”—not.  There is no doubt the author certainly has a personal story invested in this play and it is something that I believe all cultures can related to.  The director has chosen her cast well, as they are all most effective in their portrayals.  I was especially drawn to Rangel, playing a boy at one point, and also the female lawyer, very convincing in both guises.

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

--DJS