Sisters in Mourning (Chamber Theater/Teatro Tercera Llamada)

The House of Bernarda Alba

Written by Frederico Garcia Lorca

Directed by Jay Marie Padilla Hayter

Co-Produced by The Chamber Theatre and Teatro Tercera Llamada

Review by Regina Harris

Entire contents are copyright @2024 by Regina Harris. All rights

reserved.

A somber home after the funeral of its owner. Five grieving daughters.

Their tyrannical, iron-fisted mother. Staged in the dimly lit, highly

atmospheric Chapel of St. Philip Neri, the story of newly widowed

Bernarda Alba delves into the dynamics of a traditional, domineering

mother and five spirited daughters upon whom an 8-year mourning

period has been imposed to keep them virtuous above all else. Written

by Spanish dramatist Frederico Garcia Lorca, Bernarda holds her

daughters to antiquated double-standard of womanhood, creating

strained relationships and hidden rebellions.

The House is a joint production of by The Chamber Theatre and Teatro

Tercera Llamada. Veteran director Jay Marie Padilla-Hayter could not

have been more fortunate in her casting. In a city full of talented stage

actresses, this one is a dream. From the maid to the mother, each role

was heart-wrenchingly performed by theatre veterans and relative

newcomers alike. The “sisters” played off each other effectively: Clara

Burton as the oldest sister Aguistias, who doesn’t need to marry, but is

nonetheless motivated to use it as an excuse to escape the oppressive

home. Meg Caudill as the highly moral Magdelena adds a just right dose

of healthy of cynicism. Lissenet Parrado as Amelia, clearly fears her

mother and poignantly goes along to get along. Isabella Gonzalez’s

Martirio imbodies bitterness and exactingly portrays a bratty little sister/petulant middle child. One of the best performances came from

Jordan Aiken as Adela, whose idealism and spirit are as strong as they

are heartbreaking. And the ever-brilliant Karole Spangler dispenses wit

and wisdom while firmly rooted in tradition as La Poncia. Her

performance is flawless. Brava to all.

The entire ensemble carries the weighty subject beautifully - but the

stand out performance by Glamar Rivero as Bernarda is over-the-top.

Rivero stormed onto the stage ferociously, commanding the entire

space with absolute rule. She was both terrifying and brilliant. She

brings merciless authority to the role of a demanding matriarch and the

keeper of the keys. (Now imagine being her child.) I walked away never

wanting to be on her bad side, neither the character nor even the

actress. Kudos, many kudos.

Rounding out the cast was the always delightful Xenia Miller as free

spirit Maria Josefa, flouting the restraints of her culture; Morgan

Schussler-Williams as reputation-obsessed Prudencia; Maria Ofelia

Martos Garcia as the observant Criada/Maid; and young Lauren

Carrazana Martos as a very animated Chica Mendiga/Beggar Girl. All

were well-suited to their roles.

This play is performed in both Spanish and English with wonderful

supertitles by Roxell Karr. While this is an admirably ambitious concept,

it was difficult at times to code-switch between the spoken word and

the supertitles with facility. I couldn’t always read or hear fast enough

to keep up with the actors. I wondered if it was possible to display the

supertitles on both sides of the stage. And as always, the deeply

mournful cello by Jon Silpaymananant was absolutely beautiful and the

perfect underscore for the dialog, subject matter and space.

Overall, I do not hesitate to encourage everyone to see this amazing

production, despite the heavy subject. The playbill lists trigger warnings about language; conversation about and depictions of emotional and

physical abuse; as well as death, grief and sex.

Featuring Maria Ofelia Martos Garcia, Karole Spangler, Lauren

Carrazana Martos, Glamar Rivero, Clara Burton, Meg Caudill, Lissinet

Parrado, Isabella Gonzalez, Jordan Aikin, Xenia Miller, Morgan

Schussler-Williams and voice recordings by Lauren Carrazana Martos,

Morgan Schussler-Williams, David Santos.

The House of Bernarda Alba

August 22-24 and 29-31 @ 7:30 pm

Chapel of St. Philip Neri

236 Woodbine St.

Louisville, KY 40208

https://thechambertheatre.square.site Regina Harris has lived in Louisville for nearly three

decades and has worked for many of its theatre

companies and venues. She holds a degree in Humanities

from UL and to express her love for great food as well as

Louisville history and architecture, she is a guide with

Louisville Food Tours.