Theater review part deux: Orinoco!

by Mike Hathaway

On the surface, Orinoco! is simply a show about two women - showgirls, as a matter of fact - on board a grungy riverboat headed for an three-month performing gig at a seedy South American oil town. But as the show unfolds, the pessimistic/realistic Mira (Phyllis Cicero) and the bubbly/hyper-realistic Fifi (Marbella Barreto) play out a universal human story: everyone's quest for validation of a life well-lived, even if it wasn't the most savory of existences, and the search for love and acceptance.

The show opens with our two chorines discovering they're on a virtual ghost-ship; the entire crew save for one deck hand mysteriously disappeared overnight leaving nothing but bloodstains behind. With no one to guide the ship to its original destination, the women are faced with unexpected challenges: solving the mystery of the disappearing crew, deciding if they have what it takes to steer the ship and if they even want to continue the original voyage. Along the way, the scenario provides comedic and serious (almost agonizing) windows of self discovery and champagne-fueled realization.

One memorable moment is the metaphor-filled poetry recitation by Ms. Cicero while Ms. Barreto's character is offstage getting it on with the unseen third character. You can tell the poem suffers somewhat in the translation to English, but the delivery more than makes up for any linguistic deficiency. Likewise, Mina's second act monologue about love and loneliness is not to be missed.

Fifi could easily become very annoying if you came across her in real life, but on stage, within the confines of theatrical reality and Ms Barreto's performance, you can easily tell that her child-like optimism and naïveté is simply a very thin, very adult veneer to get her through life with blinders on. She sees the detritus in the road, but chooses to ignore it even after being confronted with strife head-on.

This is not a typical straight-forward narrative play - director Cora Cardona provides an entertaining evening of artistic expression peppered with the occasional song-and-dance number, surrealistic recollections and dreams of the future all lit up with amazing detail by Jeff Hurst. Armando Monsivais' original songs, along with spot-on minimalistic choreography by Mark-Brian Sonna, provide the women with some genuinely fun and funny moments, accentuating the characters' lack of true talent to make it to the big time.

Orinoco! may not be everyone's cup of tea, but don't let that stop you. Open your mind just a tiny bit and you'll be very entertained and left with many, many things to ponder by the time the final blackout brings the letter-perfect ending.

This article was submitted by a member of the Pegasus News community.