Inspired by Octavio Paz's The Labyrinth of

Solitude, a collection of essays on Mexican thought

and identity, Solitude explores love, death, destiny

and family through a contemporary lens. Set on the

day of the million-immigrant march, a wealthy

lawyer hosts a reception following his mother's

funeral, gathering together the childhood friends

he left behind 20 years ago. The characters at this

unexpected reunion dance and sing, confess and

share secrets, cry together and laugh together,

accompanied by live music from cellist Semyon

Kobialka. Elegantly staged and filled with 

emotional charge, Solitude explores Paz's

"profoundest fact of the human condition," as wine

pours and music flows. 

 

Critics Loved Solitude!!

 

"Swelling with art, heart and high style"

 - The Los Angeles Times

 

"Theatrically ambitious perusal of one cathartic day in

thelife of a successful but guilt-plagued Latino man.

Geoff Rivas instills impressive veracity into Gabriel's

ongoing angst... Fernandez and Lopez are convincing

as the underachieving stay-at-homes who exude an aura

of contentment with their lot in life...an omnipresent

Greek chorus of two, consisting of the Paz-quoting

orations of the Man (an engagingly perf by TV star

Robert Beltran) and the indefatigable instrumental

offerings of Chelo(the brilliant onstage cellist Semyon

Kobialka)."

 - Variety

 

"...a play should be like a hot chili, you know it's good

if it makes you cry, laugh, sing and dance. Solitude does

all of the above more than once. A cathartic experience

not tobe missed."

 -Eastside Writer

 

"Brazenly stark but fascinatingly subtle directorial hand of Jose Luis Valenzuela-with brilliant choreography by Urbanie Lucero that

melds 1950s jazz moves with spirited folk dancing, and featuring original music by Semyon Kobialka, who accompanies the piece on his forlornly

pleading cello-- spectacularly simple but visually arresting Dali-esque set and lighting by François-Pierre Couture, a haunting sound plot by John

Zalewsk i, and projections by Christopher Ash able to mutate from Western leather-tooling designs to Peter Max psychedelia, and this should be a

beacon of theatrical innovation."

 -BACKSTAGE.COM

 

 "Evelina Fernández's drama with music explores core issues of family, love, death and cultural identity. The emotional finale features a moving song in Spanish. The performances are quite good, particularly Beltran who has a formidable stage presence. Semyon Kobialka's cello accompaniment is flawless, and Francois-Pierre Couture's skewed picture-frame scenic design effectively suggests how we're skewed by our experiences. Urbanie Lucero's choreography is attractive, colorful Mexican dancing."

 - LAWEEKLY