by Shandea Williams
Daily Lobo
"Cloud Tectonics," written by renowned playwright JosÇ Rivera, premiered 12 years ago in
Louisville, Ky.
Now, director Barney Lopez and UNM's Theatre X bring Rivera's meditation on the nature of love, space and time to Albuquerque audiences.
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In the middle of the night, LAX baggage handler An°bal de la Luna is driving down the freeway when he spots a young pregnant woman, Celestina del Sol, hitchhiking in the rain.
His Good Samaritan nature leads him to stop to give her a ride. That one decision changes his life, and his world stops - literally.
Celestina del Sol (Monica Demarco) has never been able to grasp the concept of time. A week feels like seconds. A year feels like hours. Over the course of the evening, Celestina creates a bond with An°bal (Shannon Michael Flynn) and pulls him into her timeless universe. That night, those years, they exist in an intimate, shared world.
Theatre X, UNM's black-box theater, features a thrust stage, meaning the audience sits on three of four sides of the stage. The set was designed completely in black and white with "moon-clocks" hanging throughout the entire theater. A black rectangle covered in black cloth hangs from the ceiling. This design element has a significant purpose.
The play opens with rain-soaked Celestina walking in slow motion onto the stage, keeping time with the ticking of a clock. Lopez exhibits exemplary directing skills in his interpretation of Rivera's script.
Observing Demarco and Flynn's acting, it's obvious they created the requisite thespian bond that is too often missing from romantic plays. Their respective character development invokes a striking portrait of a strong relationship and believable love in miraculous circumstances.
But don't worry - this play isn't merely a series of dramatic love scenes. Both characters bring a sense of humor to the production, but the bulk of comic relief is courtesy of An°bal's brother, Nelson de la Luna (Damion Cruzz). Nelson, a military man, is preparing to leave for his tour of duty in Vietnam. Cruzz's stellar performance enhances a script that dishes out plenty of offensive - yet hilarious and meaningful - action and dialogue.
Lopez's uninhibited blocking, lighting and set design fosters an intimacy between actors and audience. His potent use of silence allows the mute conversations between the actors to imbue this plot with originality.
"Cloud Tectonics" is a surreal, extraordinary love story that inspires you to challenge your
beliefs.
As An°bal said, "... love sometimes does that to you. It alters the physics around you in some way, changing the speed of light and the shape of space and how you experience time."
"Cloud Tectonics"
Theatre X
Thursday-Saturday
7:30 p.m.
$7-$10
