The result was the meeting of two friends and a classic of Argentine theater the great resignation, the most recent premiere of the Buenos Aires Theater Circuit (CTBA) at the Teatro de la Ribera. The play is a version adapted and directed by Lisandro Fiks, of the well remembered the lazy oneby Ricardo Talesnik.
Gastone Cocchiaralewho leads the cast of the great resignation, was the originator of the idea, when he was still a theater student. But at that point the author of La fiaca did not want to cover his piece. Time passed and Gastón Cocchiarale told his friend Fiks his desire to reverse the material.
This time they got the green light from Talesnik and that’s how it happened. the great resignationwith Laura Cymer, Abian Vainstein, Romina Fernandes, Fiks himself, the cast which also sees the virtual participation of Luis Brandoni.
That story, from the late 1960s, showed a man overwhelmed by his monotonous lifewho one day decides to rebel, never go to work or do anything else indulge in laziness. Played by Norman Briski, it had its stage play, directed by Carlo Gorostiza and was later also a film, directed by fernando ayala.
“That gesture of rebellion from the 60s and 70s today it would not be possible. But it has a parallel with the technological system and the addiction it creates, a somewhat empty vortex like the one we live in these days“, says Fiks.
Even after the pandemic, there has been a lifestyle and even a paradigm shift for many. And, from there, the adaptation and the new version happened.
“The setting of The Great Resignation has a lot of sonic and visual invasion that technology imposes on us, with cellphones ringing, people looking at their cellphones while conversing with you”, describes the director: “The dramatic construction of the original work is respected, but adapted to today”.
With teacher approval
For the group, there was an added satisfaction, which was Talesnik’s visit that he “walked away happy”, according to Fiks, with the result: “It was a relief and we were happy that he was happy.”
As the director explains, the essence of the work is the same: the common man who rebels against the social machine, “the one that squeezes you until you no longer give and of which technology is a part”.
But Fiks clarifies: “The problem is not the technology, but, as with almost everything, the way we use it, the limits we set ourselves. This is the main objective of this proposal.“.
The reactions and relationships that each generation builds with technology are shown on stage: there are the father, grandfather, wife, boss and a friend of the protagonist.
The work, like many other projects, has been seen postponed due to complications caused by the pandemic and had to wait until now for its premiere, in one of the CTBA’s official halls, in the La Boca neighborhood.
However, the group has been able to take advantage of this in their favor. “In the end, it was good for us because we had more rehearsal time and more importantly, time to solidify the production design, costumes, video and sound, which is crazy,” says Fiks.
Curiously, it’s a work that makes much use of technology to tell a story that questions it: “But that’s part of the fun, since it’s a comedy from start to finish.”
On the other hand, Luis Brandoni’s participation was born almost by chance. While the actor was filming a series with Robert De Niro, during his visit to Argentina, which also includes Cocchiarale, Gastón told Brandoni about the projectwho was so excited that he eventually joined the cast, with a virtual participation.
The original music of the great resignation It is by Daniel “Pipi” Piazzolla and Lisandro Fiks, while Juan Selva is in charge of the sets, Agnese Lozupone of the lights and Micaela Sleigh of the sets and costumes.
Information
Services are Thursdays and Fridays at 7pm and Saturdays and Sundays at 5pm. at the Teatro de la Ribera, Av. Pedro 1821. Tickets: $1,250 (Pullman $950 and Fridays, $650).
Source: Clarin
