Theatre Company: Teatro de los Andes, Bolivia
Director: CeSar Brie
Location: Maidment Theatre

Synopsis (from flyer):

Teatro de los Andes weaves together several different threads to create their startling re-vision of Homer’s classic Greek tale.

Journeying, loss, love, struggle, the search for the father, the loss of children, the search for identity and revenge are central and unifying threads of La Odisea. Like Homer’s character, this Ulysses is also on a journey as an immigrant who encounters obstacles, monsters and difficulties in his search for a better future. At another level La Odisea is a reflection on present day Bolivia - a country that is changing radically - shaped by the very forces that affected Homer’s Ulysses so profoundly - migration, return and the search for identity.

Thoughts on this Production:

Utterly charming! Thoroughly enjoyed watching the small talented cast tell an epic tale using an imaginative set and a variety of theatrical techniques. The music and dancing were great and provided some of the “Latino Flair” that was promised in the flyer. The humour and local references were a real bonus.

I’m afraid the sections of the play, dealing with modern Bolivia, were baffling at the time. It is only with the benefit of rereading the promotional material that I can make sense of how it fits with the historical story. Without the benefit of that background information I found those scenes confusing.