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Regional Reviews: New Jersey Guadalupe in the Guest Room Also see Bob's reviews of From Up Here and In the Car with Blossom and Len
This is the situation which greets us at the beginning of Guadalupe in the Other Room, by Tony Meneses, currently in a world premiere production at Two River Theater. Over the course of this engrossing, sensitive, and humorous play, Guadalupe and Steve will discover that, at least for a time, they need each other. They also draw strength from their relationships with kind, newly made friends: the aforementioned Raquel and Roberto, the middle aged, neighborhood Mexican gardener. Their journey together is not without conflict and misunderstanding, but Guadalupe and Steve come to understand their need to let go of the past and embrace their futures. To top it off, Guadalupe and Steve share an emotional catharsis that they derive from viewing together a Spanish (are there any other kind?) telenovela whose risible, melodramatic excesses unleash their primal emotions. Claudia watched such telenovelas with Guadalupe before she died. Although we hear almost all of the dialogue spoken in English, a good number of conversations are actually in Spanish. In order to keep your place, it is worth noting that in the first scene, there are several phrases spoken by either Steve or Raquel which are purposefully indiscernible. This is done in order to place the viewer in the position of Guadalupe, who is struggling to communicate because of her limited knowledge of English. It seems odd that, although Steve repeatedly goes off to and returns home from work, briefcase in hand, unless I missed, the nature of his job is ever mentioned. Socorro Santiago portrays Guadalupe with dignity and passion. Her eyes and facial expressions brilliantly project the anger, hurt and confusion which Guadalupe is striving to overcome. Charles Socarides is a believably likeable and troubled Steve. Alfredo Huereca brings the winning facet of joviality as the intrusive yet soulful gardener, Roberto. Deonna Bouye's Raquel is a model of youthful enthusiasm and good will. Huereca and Bouye add brightly to our pleasures in additional roles enacted from the serial telenovela being viewed. Director Daniella Topol has directed with an adroit mixture of brio and sensitivity. Marion Williams' setting nicely deploys the rooms of the relatively modest house in eminently playable fashion. Jiyoun Chang's lighting adds the nice touch of a blue light outlining the back wall at night. Author Tony Meneses brings the real world of Guadalupe and the fictional telenovela together during the cleansing, penultimate climactic sequence of his warm and revealing Guadalupe in the Guest Room. Guadalupe in the Guest Room continues performances (Evenings: Wednesday, Thursday 7 pm; Friday, Saturday 8 pm/ Matinees: Wednesday 1 pm; Thursday 10 AM; Saturday, Sunday 3 pm) through March 15, 2015 at the Two River Theater, Marion Huber Theatre, 21 Bridge Ave., Red Bank 07701; Box Office: 732-345-1400 / online: www.trtc.org. Guadalupe in the Guest Room by Tony Meneses; directed by Daniella Topol Cast
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