The Soho Theatre comedy has a grand mission that sometimes gets lost in translation. A standup comedian touches on immigration, stereotypes and what being Latinx is really like, with mixed results.
If you’re down to go to an at times funny, regularly awkward yet surprisingly deep course on the subject, you should stop by the Soho Theatre to see Playing Latinx.
During the 60-minute stint, you’ll get exposed to a comedy show all about the act of being Latinx, and playing the part, whether for comedic relief or insightful commentary on xenophobia, race, cultural norms and even the vestiges of colonialism.
Our teacher is a Mexican actor with a large and elaborate name, played by the charismatic, brave and quirky Guido García Lueches, who also wrote the show. The rules are simple: there’s a casting director’s chair, where audience members have to sit down for the show to literally go on. Once a brave person sits to participate, Guido will dress up and embody a role that reinforces the stereotypes of what Latinx roles are required to be, going from something comical to something deep within that slot; because once the “audition” finishes, the white light focuses on the performer, who gives several monologues on the real issues going on behind audiences stereotypes of what Latinxs should be. And by “audiences” I mean how British or non-Latinx see Latinx people because the play has a clear target audience, sometimes neglecting other diverse sets of people who might want to enjoy the show. The intention behind the set is to both make fun of stereotypes and tell us the dark truths behind these assumptions. The combination of these two factors is powerful, catching you off guard while joyful or giving you a break when the message cuts to the bone.
While all the comments against oppression work, the jokes themselves…not so much. Despite the intention of parody versus reality being clear, the comedic approach can be too cynical or obvious that it doesn’t seem to add anything new to the table, other than empathising ideas about the Latinx diaspora that we as a society already know. Alongside the auditions, Guido gives a seminar on how to be “a good Latinx”, which focuses on tragic and exaggerated backstories, over-the-top reactions and complicated names, and picking on members of the diverse audience to complete the tasks. One of the exercises, for example, consists of random words that somehow form a different “tragic backstory” for another attendee who decides to be the subject of Guido’s unexpected requests. These games can make the show dynamic but forced because the comedy can rely so much on the cringe nature of the absurd situation rather than on the material itself.
As being a combination of both thought-provoking statements on going beyond the stereotypes and a collection of jests reinforcing them — with mixed results — I can’t help but wonder if the overall message is clear to everyone, therefore missing the artistic value the show’s working so hard to emanate.