OnCuba interviewed young actor and director Jazz Vilá on his latest piece, Rascacielos (Skyscraper), which was premiered and is staged at the Adolfo Llauradó theater hall in La Casona de Linea.
Four couples: a few girls with issues in their love relationships, a mature woman and a man much younger, a violent boy and his girlfriend and a couple boys conflicted between the past and the present…, whose fates are linked by a young painter. These are the characters of the piece.
It was produced by young actor and director Jazz Vilá—known by the character of La china in the film Juan de los muertos. It is an invitation to “discover the true nature of couple’s intimacy”.
Rascacielos is mainly addressed to young people and is a reflection on communication, sexual diversity and coexistence.
What materials did you use to build Rascacielos?
(He laughs) – The play is based on personal experiences and cinematographic and theater sources of inspiration. I gradually brought together certain interesting topics for me. That’s the foundation for Rascacielos.
“Then, I carried an arduous contextualization process of all these ideas in order to fit this reality. So many years living abroad, –almost a decade in Spain– have a considerable influence in your way of thinking, acting and creating. Young playwright Marcos Díaz accompanied me in the process of rewriting and shaping ideas.”
You have taken a step further in your artistic career with this place. Do “heights” make you dizzy?
Fortunately, this Project has brought about constant improvement for all those people somehow involved in the play. The have made positive contributions to it and that definitely gives you confidence and security.
Why did you name it Rascacielos?
“It is allegoric to Havana. In the rest of the world constructions are built upwards because they lack space; however, skyscrapers, which are a sign of contemporariness, are not built in Cuba. Yet, everyday we can see skyscrapers on the streets, 11 million skyscrapers: people struggling to overcome obstacles and difficulties. Each one of them has his own skyscraper. It is a contemporary piece that, from the current point of view, tackles reality and people´s concerns, for the youngest in particular.”
Does that make it necessary?
Since the first day, Rascacielos has raised public interest by young people, given that it deals with common issues for them. We were worried about being in tune with them. Many times they don’t come closer to the theater becausethe plays are too “theatrical”, in the best sense of the word, so they would rather attend to humoristic shows. That´s why we attempted to create a piece that would make them laugh and reflect about a certain topic at the same time. There is a need for that kind of theater, which is lighter. Most of the times the proposals are too much focused on intelligentsia, but more refreshing plays are in demand.
Do you think this would affect the quality of the pieces?
Many times we get the wrong idea and we are frequently biased by that. Commercially speaking, there are also valid formulas. This doesn’t imply shallowness or banality when it is done seriously and I am very strict and demanding in that regard.
What’s the main message?
The essence is in love, mainly between couples, regardless of their sexual preferences; and in interpersonal communication. It is an approach to the way of facing difficulties with love and without disregarding feelings and emotions. We approach issues as age gap, gender violence, homosexual relations –the main focus being common problems between couples–, the characters’ capacity or incapacity to make things work from their reality, the housing problem, the lack of understanding or communication between generations, etc.
Can you comment on its greatest challenges?
“I believe the hardest was to get used to a different way of doing things. Perhaps, after so many years living abroad, I got used to work based on the principle of saving time. We are used to slow processes, where everything is eventually solved.
I have had to deal with that, to try to adjust myself to their rhythm and make them take another efficiency rhythm. The play lasts about an hour and five minutes and each couple only has one scene. This has led me to use a different scheme where actors had not performed together, but till the end. I think it is important to keep a fresh mind to avoid getting worn out. Even the cast has said to me that they were not used to working like that. I enjoy improving processes that can be enjoyed by others”.
What about positive aspects?
“One of the greatest things has been working with this cast. I feel incredible lucky to have Broselianda Hernández, which I will always recall, because I deeply admire her and respect her. She is a personal friend and I know how much she puts in her characters.
It is also a great satisfaction to work with the rest of the cast, they are all very young and they have undertaken the play with humility, professionalism and desire for learning. Actors such as Camila Arteche, Denis Ramos and revelations like Lulú Piñera, whose work has been really gratifying. They have been able to translate the stories of this Rascacielos.”
Great satisfactions…, having double functions on its premiere day, under the rain, with people soaked wet waiting outside and then seeing the theater crowded during the presentations.
When this happens, you realize you are witnessing a theater phenomenon that is nourished by people. And that was my purpose: making live theater, that is multiplied.
I don’t aim to make the greatest play ever, or be the most famous director. I aim at getting to people. That’s the reason why, Rascacielos doesn’t end here, we are preparing a tour nationwide, and we are also making arrangements for a radial and a cinematographic version of the play.”
Support from El Público Theater Company…
That’s my home and my temple, with Carlos Díaz, who has opened all doors for this production. I have to thank him in the first place. El Público Theater Company is a renowned company. It offers its support but it demands a lot of responsibility in order to honor its name and its reputation. It demands being up to par and I hope to honor it. Though, considering the presentations made so far, I would dare to say we are definitely honoring it.”
Direction…
“Actually, I had directed before. At the age of 17 I directed a version of de La Casa de Bernarda Alba. In Madrid, my last job was not as an actor but as the director of a piece called La última noche. I like to direct when I have something to say.
“For me it was important to produce Rascacielos because each of the nine characters arepart of it, a life experience by Jazz Vilá. I have to confess that I feel satisfied as an actor; I believe I have had a fruitful career, that’s why, as director; I try to share my concerns with the audience. “The important thing for Jazz Vilá is to do a bit more. This theater play is about not fearing to dream high
By: Lourdes Benítez
Images: Taken from Jazz Vilá’s Facebook profile
