REVIEW: Fuenteovejuna (GALA Hispanic Theatre)

The SARS CoV-2 (COVID-19) Pandemic has had an immeasurable impact on theatre in the English-speaking world. Due to the dramatic shifts in investment power and cash flow among the populace, the theatre industry has undergone a sharp decline in production budgets. Such cases are evident in the propagation of low-frills, high-contrast designs such as that of British director Jaime Lloyd. In this essay, I—

Let me not get carried away, as much as I would like to write a treatise on that topic. But these themes are definitely prevalent when you sit down for GALA Hispanic Theatre’s Fuenteovejuna, a Spanish epic molded and rebarred into a sturdy hulk. With its relevant themes, there’s a lot to take away, if you can manage to catch up with it.

Book

Fuenteovejuna by legendary Spanish playwright Lope de Vega was originally published in the mid 1610s, based on an event taking place in 1476. Here, a village by the name of Fuente Obejuna (lit. “The Sheep Well”) is under attack from the vicious lord Fernan Gomez de Guzman. De Guzman is among the last vestiges of the feudalist system under purge by the newly-empowered Isabella-led Catholic monarchy. The play follows a group of Obejunians as they grapple with the sudden takeover of the lord and his consort, while they plot their resistance and plead to Isabella’s forces for help. The intermediate plotting and resistance is effectively a showcase of minute attempts of revolt and subsequent quashing. Where the uprising picks up is during a wedding, thrown in spite of the takeover; when several townspeople are arrested, it takes the efforts of two women, Laurencia and Pascuala, to inspire the men of the town to take up arms against De Guzman. The themes regarding collective action and revolt also go hand-in-hand with those of male silence in the face of the mistreatment of women. Why did the men refuse to take up arms until after the wedding, when one’s “property” was suddenly “stolen” from him? While I cast doubt of De Guzman’s feminist leanings in 1613, I credit the emphasis on this in director Jose Luis Arellano’s vision. At the same time, though, I found this vision to feel hollow when it needed gestating the most. The pacing is blindingly fast — Act I is about 40 minutes — and the show doesn’t let important moments or events settle before moving on to the next (very stylish) scene. For a show that feels very much like a Shakespearean epic, I was surprised to see this spliced into two acts and still leaving me feeling unsatiated. 8/10

Acting

There’s a precise, daunting grit among this cast that floods the room with sullenry. GALA favorite Luz Nicolas delivers a piercing performance as Flores, De Guzman’s servant and the lord himself (Iker Lastra) is ruthless and headstrong. Julia Adun is the soul of this production in Laurencia, however, with a tenderly angry presence that draws all of the tension towards her like a tornado of unrest, unleashed in Act II’s climax. 8/10

Production

The Lloydification of GALA was not on my 2025 bingo card.

Giorgio Tsappas’ gravelly staging is evocative of the aforementioned British director, with its open spaces and sharp, blocky surfaces (save for the central wrecking ball). Additionally, I found that the lack of props makes the suspension of disbelief that much more difficult, especially when the actors have to mime things like a crossbow, and we have to imagine this plainly-visible actor is behind a bush. Though while the scenery alone didn’t leave me much impressed, things were definitively improved via Jesus Diaz Cortes’ splashy lighting and projection designs. The illuminations feature stark shadows and multitoned highlights that bring a nigh-cinematic quality to the event, especially in a pivotal finale scene involving the wrecking ball. (I’ve already heard lots of debate over what that scene meant, if anyone leaves feeling unsure.) The greatest technical quality, though? The onstage musician, who is constantly providing an ethereal score; not too loudly to distract, but not quiet enough to disappear completely. DJ/roquero Aldo Ortega delivers a masterpiece of ambience that was reminiscent of some parts of 2022’s The Batman. (Actually, most of this production could fit that bill.) 6/10

Viz

From the minute you enter the arena (juego de palabras intencionado) there’s actually not much to engage with. A nearly-bare stage (there’s a bench), with tons of sand. A concave concrete wall. No stage lighting. And of course, the giant “wrecking ball” tantalizingly close to the ground. As sparse as it is, it’s consistent with the direction. Boosting its efforts are the angry-red programs featuring an irate Laurencia; there are other versions of this if you check the GALA socials and their posters in the lobby. It’s a commitment to the outrage depicted in the show, and it works amazingly. 10/10

Verdict

Fuenteovejuna is a blur of feudalist uprising told against a contemporary backdrop of bubbling civil unrest, brought to GALA with great, if not too familiar, style. 30/40