martes, 12 de octubre de 2010

¡Mueva la Patria! - Long ´Shake´ The Nation! - TEATRO ND ATENEO BUENOS AIRES


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VERSION EN ESPAÑOL

¡MUEVA LA PATRIA! RESUMEN Y OPINIÓN

Es una obra acerca de la historia argentina en su bicentenario. La historia atraviesa muchos eventos de los 200 años de manera sarcástica y se centra en cómo los principales actores han ido desarrollándose a lo largo de los años, ¡sin cambiar nada!

Doscientos años de movimientos políticos y problemas económicos para terminar quedando prácticamente igual, ese parece ser el mensaje que nos deja este “cuento nacional”.  Con “Los Garcas” –constituidos por los militares, la iglesia, los terratenientes y la gente “bien”— siempre en el centro de la escena, esta historia transcurre entre genocidios y crisis económicas.

Las clases media y obrera están representadas por una “cheta” llamada “Romina de Caballito” y un marginal llamado “El Negro Cabeza”.

Romina de Caballito muestra esa clase media que nunca se compromete con ideologías políticas ni problemas sociales y siempre está pendiente de su propio ombligo y nada más.

El Negro Cabeza representa a la clase obrera y aquellos que viven –o sobreviven— en las villas miseria, aquellos en los que nunca se acuerda nadie (sólo para los votos y/o para mandar gente a las guerras).

En esta obra la historia argentina está tomada con mucho humor y sarcasmo. El grupo de “Los Garcas” está siempre presente. A ellos nos les importa de qué colores sean las banderas políticas de los gobiernos, siempre y cuando claro está, no perjudiquen sus propiedades y posesiones.

La clase media (Romina de Caballito) siempre está admirando los temas glamorosos y deseando ser más de lo que realmente es, están “mentalmente casados” con “Los Garcas” pero coqueteando por momentos  “El Negro Cabeza”, dependiendo siempre del período socio económico que se esté atravesando.

La clase obrera (El Negro Cabeza) trata de comprender por qué las cosas son lo que son. Tratan de comprenden porque el resto de la sociedad se la pasa acumulando dinero sin la necesidad concreta y real (quizás sólo para los momentos de “por si acaso” o tal vez para hacer viajes glamorosos a Miami a comprar "por dos"). De tanto en cuanto se les da falsas esperanzas, de la mano de algún que otro gobierno que promete progresismo pero finalmente terminan una vez más en su siempre profunda y triste miseria material. Desde ya, el grupo de “Los Garcas” se lava las manos por completo con respecto a todo este “tole tole”.

Es una excelente opción para salir el fin de semana. Tienen un “staff” de actores que no solamente actúan bien, sino que también cantan y bailan cumbia y música moderna con la misma calidad. Se trata de una obra producida por la gente de la “Revista Barcelona”, sumamente recomendable.


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ENGLISH VERSION

LONG ´SHAKE´ THE NATION! BRIEF & OPINION


It is a play whose plot is about the Argentinean History, in its bicentenary. The story sarcastically goes through many different events and it is focused on how the main characters in Argentinean History have been developing themselves throughout the years— not revealing a significant change!

Two hundred years of political movements and big economical issues to remain almost the same seems to be the basic message of this Nation´s tale. With the ´garchs´* people –constituted by the military, the church, the landowners and the original rich women— forever on the central scene, this story runs between genocides and economical crisis.

The middle class and the working class are also represented by a snob girl called ´Romina de Caballito´ and a poor guy called ´El Negro Cabeza´.

Romina de Caballito depicts a typical middle class person who has never been committed with neither political movements nor social issues and who has always been gazing at their own navel.

El Negro Cabeza represents the working class people and those who live –or survive— in shanty towns, those who have never been taken care of.

In this play, Argentinean History is taken for fun and with great humor. The ´Garchs´ Group is always present. They don’t care which government rules as long as it does not compromise their own properties.

Middle class people admire fashionable topics and wish more than they can actually get, they
are ´mentally engaged´ with Garchs but sometimes get involved with working class people – depending on the economical, political and social period.

Working class people try to understand why things always remain the same. Indeed, they try to comprehend why the rest of society always save and keep their money without actually needing it (perhaps for the ´just in case´ situations or maybe for doing fashionable things such as travelling to Miami).They are sometimes given false hopes by some governments which seem to be a more socialist option but eventually they are sent to their usual misery once again. Of course, The Garchs Group washes their hands of all this shit.

This play is a very funny option with excellent stage players, who perform not only very well their roles but also their songs and dances. It is extremely recommendable and it was produced by the people who created ´Revista Barcelona´ (a local humor magazine of politics and social issues).

*´garch´ is an abbreviation for ´oligarch´


Tapa de la Revista Barcelona de ejemplo:


SI VAN, ¡ESPERO COMENTARIOS!
SALUDOS

sábado, 9 de octubre de 2010

That Call. McLiam´s Story before publishing "Eureka Street"


The following text is related to the first sustained conversation (phone call which never happened in the real world) between McLiam Wilsom, writer of Eureka Street, and his editor before printing it massively:
Mr. Irish: Hello, good morning
McLiam: Hello Mr. Irish. This is Robert McLiam Wilson
Mr. Irish: I am glad to know you Sir. I suppose that you are calling to tell us about your book.
McLiam: Of course I am, I would be pleased to tell you what it is about, if you wanted me to do it.
Mr. Irish: Please, I couldn’t be more interested.
McLiam:  Well, it tells the story about two Irish friends who are around their thirties. This story happens during The Troubles*. It developes in Belfast City, among people, IRA, URC, INLA, UVF, UFF, UDA, IPLO and other writings on the walls such as FTP (Fuck the Pope), FTQ (Fuck the Queen) etc... hard times, as we all know.
Mr. Irish: Uh-huh. And so?
McLiam: This guys were from different religious believes, one was Catholic and the other one was Protestant.
Mr. Irish: If I read you right, you mean that the Irish friends didn’t share the same faith.
McLiam: Yes, that’s right Sir. Jake, the Catholic one, had studied Political Science at a University in England, he was smart thinking and analyzing situations. On the other hand, Chuckie Lurgan, the Protestant one, had been doing anything useful with his life until his thirty years. Then…
Mr. Irish: Would mind repeating that? I didn’t catch that last part.
McLiam: Of, course. Chuckie, the Protestant, had done any profitable thing in his entire life.
Mr. Irish: Okay. In other words, you are saying that there were not only religious divergences but also attitudinal ones. Is that the point you meant?
McLiam: Sir, you are following me right, step by step. Jake had been engaged with a British woman who left him because she didn’t like living in the middle of bombs, that city of fury. Since that very moment Jake hadn’t been able to restart a serious relationship with a girl. After that episode, he began to quarrel people again and fight them, fists instead of kisses.
Mr. Irish: Could you please explain that in a little more detail? I don’t quite follow what you said.
McLiam: Yes Sir, this young man, Jake, had been taken away by his former girlfriend. Instead of drinking alcohol as many others when left by their women, he started to transfer all that energy, that angry, to fights. Hitting and punching people was the way he felt better…
Mr. Irish: What a pity. But, to put it another way, he is a violent crazy man whose rage was sleeping inside him because of his relationship.  
McLiam: Ok, I don’t know if I have been making myself clear. Perhaps we could have a meeting instead of chatting by phone. Would you mind to make an appointment to meet each other? I am sure that if we saw each other, this would be much easier for me to tell, and for you to listen.
Mr. Irish: Right. I suggest meeting next Monday morning at 8am, at the Starbuck Coffee on Eureka Street. Do you know that one?
McLiam: Oh, yes! In fact, and by the way, that’s the book´s title! What a coincidence!
Mr. Irish: That’s maybe fortuity or destiny. Who knows?! Let me know if I can be of any further help. See you next Monday. Have a nice day.
McLiam: Thanks for your time Mr. Irish, I won´t let you down with this story. Have a nice day you too, and thank you once again.
Not very far from now, you will have news from this writer´s story, behind his book´s story.
The Troubles* (from Wikipedia) was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast "Good Friday" Agreement of 1998. Violence nonetheless continues on a sporadic basis

Note: this post tells a story which is not real. Indeed, it is completely fake.

Si quieren la versión en ESPAÑOL, por favor avisen! Demoré bastante con esta!

GRACIAS!!! ABRAZO!!!