Day of Dramatized Readings of German Theater: YIPS and Antigone
The 19th Day of Dramatized Readings of German Theater took place on Thursday afternoon, February 2, at the Ludwig Foundation of Cuba.
Two plays were performed: YIPS by Nora Abdel-Maksoud, performed by the Ludi Teatro Company, and Antigone by Bertolt Brecht, performed by the Grupo Impulso Teatro.
In less than an hour, both companies gave the audience a wealth of emotions, firstly YIPS with its playful content and then Antigone with its magnificent nature. The former is a comedy that recreates the absurd, and the latter a tragedy of the highest calibre. These two plays are diametrically opposed in their essence, but which, on closer inspection, have a kind of connection.
The similarity lies in the fact that, although they were written at very different times, they deal with issues that are still with us today. In both plays, the disparity between the state and society is shown to be unalterable in the proper development of humanity.
It is worth noting the quality with which both performances were carried out, because despite the fact that they were dramatized readings, the strength of both casts was outstanding. It did not matter that the first was performed on a terrace and the second indoors, or that the space was limited; the day lived up to expectations.
At the end of the performances there was a panel discussion in which Arianna Delgado and Linda Soriano, actresses and representatives of Ludi Teatro and Grupo Impulso Teatro respectively, explained to the audience the process of selecting the two readings. They also discussed how the two plays were received in Cuban society.
