"El Borracho" is a name we all heard numerous times growing up when we played La Loteria, the historic and traditional Mexican card game that was mainly played in a family-oriented environment.
Back in the 1700's, the card-game La Loteria originated in Italy, then it made its move to Spain years after, and eventually made its biggest transfer over to Mexico. As of last night, however, the city of San Diego became La Loteria's most recent destination.
On Thursday night, Balboa Park's Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre hosted El Borracho, a family story written by Guadalajara-native Tony Meneses.
This play offers an intimate lens that displays a family story about an unstable father-and-son relationship, a failed marriage, prolonged grudges, and the love for singing and dancing to Mexican music all in one tiny set of an apartment. The play, which extends to about 90 minutes, includes a stereotypical Mexican living room. The family pictures next to the couch, the cross of Jesus flying high above everyone, the colorful tablecloth with birds and flowers printed on it, and a guitar laying around somewhere in the house.
Through the work of Production Stage Manager Jess Slocum and the man in charge of Scenic Design, David Israel Reynoso, the setting itself gives each theatre-goer an early insight into the storyline that is being presented to them.
"El Borracho" plays a big name in the Mexican community, being the name of one of the cards in the famous Mexican version of Bingo. Meneses adds a unique touch on the making of the lead character for his play, mixing a variety of traits to Raul's role such as humor, being musically-inclined, and being toxic in terms of his constant temptation for an alcoholic beverage, despite his already damaging health status in this play.
In the best way possible, Meneses' incredible work provides a mix of moods for theatre-goers to go through in this play. it doesn't get too heavy on the emotional side, it is not too centered around the humor, and tops it off on a high note with a joyful ending to the play, which overall resulted in such a feel-good and balanced stagecraft.
The three performers in this play included Matthew Martinez who plays David, the college student and son of the drunken father in this play. Also starring in the play is Zilah Mendoza, who plays the role of Alma, the mother of David and head of the household. And at last, the spotlight of the night is Raul, the El Borracho role played by the highly-talented actor Jesse J. Perez.
The play itself is mainly surrounded by Jesse Perez's role as El Borracho, a character that Perez says will hit home for many of those in attendance for this show who has a similar relative in their family that reflects Raul (El Borracho).
In an interview with Performances Magazine, Perez says that the deeper message of this story, which is forgiveness and grace, is something that he hopes each person in attendance can reflect upon going forward in life.
"For those of us who have taken on the burden of someone else's addiction, or have been addicts ourselves, I hope we can see and learn to forgive them or ourselves in that situation," said Jesse Perez.
In attendance for this play was also Heather Nation, who actually made an impact on the performance that takes place in this masterpiece. At the beginning of the play, El Borracho himself incorporates a musical scene to the play, where it's just him and the instrument performing in front of the live crowd.
Heather Nation, guitar instructor and part of the creative team, was who taught Jesse Perez how to play the chords he performed in that particular scene of the play. Heather says it was satisfying to witness her contribution to the team display through that live performance.
"It's just him after his son(David) brings him his guitar, it was just so raw and it's actually really hard to perform like that," Heather told Chula Vista Today. "To see him play with just the guitar and his pure voice, I'm so proud of him, he really knocked it out of the park tonight," she added.
The laughs, tears, and joy transmitted through this play will continue through next month on March 20 at the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre located in Balboa Park, where locals are encouraged to attend and enjoy the emotional roller-coaster through this magnificent composition directed by Edward Torres and written by Tony Meneses.
