CAMAGÜEY.- They know that they make art of the ephemeral, art condemned to death, but they do not care about each burial at the last moment of a performance. They are theatre-goers and it is enough for them that will to assume themselves over and over again in the middle of nowhere to light the flame of life with the masks of each character.
“We are the ones who use the light of art to face the darkness of ignorance and extremism”, highlights the Egyptian actress Samiha Ayoub in her message for the World Theater Day 2023, a speech that starts from lamenting the devastating effects of conflicts, wars and natural catastrophes and therefore, tension, insecurity, lack of humanity in today’s world.
What, then, makes playwrights, directors, actors, set designers, poets, musicians, choreographers and technicians persist? The Cuban theatrologist Eberto García Abreu told us recently, in his own way and from his field: “The theater gravitates in the instance of memory, and memory is transformed.”
Long after the traumatic passage through the COVID-19 pandemic, in just one year, the panorama for this scenic art in Camagüey has changed so much, I say it if we count from March 27, 2022, when among the ways to celebrate that day the alternative room of the group Teatro del Espacio Interior, by Mario Junquera, reopened; room that is expected, like all theaters, systematic, stable programming.
We had Swiss theater with the Apsara company. Brazilian theater recommended by Casa de las América with the group Compañía del Latón. A lot of Cuban theater. From Camagüey we know that the actress Reina Ayala will celebrate her 50 years as an artist this 2023 with the leading role of the Romeo and Juliet in the style of Theater of the Wind. In addition, the Guiñol works in The prince and the sea. Groups disappear, but this company continues with the reinforcement of Teatro de Luz (with director and all, Jesús Rueda). His team from the street project of mannequins in the traditional room guarantees Shadows game.
Photo: Alejandro Rodríguez Leiva/ Forward
Wind Theaterthe group here with the greatest popular support, after opening Eggs it practically fell out of favor due to the departure of a large part of the cast from the country, due to the national migratory stampede. In the attempt to recover, without closing the doors of the headquarters and still without finishing the repair of the property, Freddys Núñez called auditions, even added those who had not studied acting or had artistic evaluation. This is how he proceeds with a training course for actors and in the heat of the rehearsal.
An event of this call always transforms the city. The desire to take advantage of everything is breathed. To make it possible, many people do not sleep, I am referring to the anonymous workers in the theaters who are in charge of leaving everything clean, everything ready for the next rehearsal, for tomorrow’s show. As a journalist, I really enjoy living on the edge, writing down details, writing quickly, telling what happens.
There is longing in the theater and in the public since the news about the impossibility of doing the National Theater Festival in Camagüey when it played at the end of 2022.
The controversy around the permanence of the event is still in vogue, criteria published on the networks and defended in the very center of the Theater City day.That day was the alternative with the objective of bringing to the city the shows selected for that event, its scheme responds to an extended programming from January to June 2023.
By theater city we laughed with him Kike Quiñones show with the Camagüey Symphony Orchestra. We had the creative community in January Island Trade Ship, leadered by Osvaldo Doime goodbye, iconic actor from Teatro El Público, founded by maestro Carlos Díaz, whom we applauded this March.
If it is about relating personalities, by that invitation of the National Council of Performing Arts we share with the national theater awards Veronica LynnGerardo Fulleda, Dagoberto Gainza, Corina Mestre and Carlos Diaz. From here the name of the winner this year was made public: the actor Aramís Delgado. Out of the program we brought Ramon Silverio with his Mejunje.
Undoubtedly, we must be very grateful for so much encouragement to spirituality, to wanting Cuba and Help build it together. A look at the works rules out the mere governmental intention of pan ni circuses in the midst of the precariousness of a country that takes accounts to guarantee basic services.
Since January 2023, no matter how calm those three days of shows the last week of each month may seem, we Camagüeyans continue to be hosts of excellent groups, of good works. Other cities in Cuba do not have this privilege. That is why today, World Theater Day, we praise each person, anonymous or public, for continuing to feed our healthy pride in Camagüey as the best square.