Review: THE COOK at Berkeley Rep

A love of food sustains houseworker Gladys over a forty-year arc that coincides with the social, economic and political changes wrought by the Cuban revolution of 1959 in Eduardo Machado’s The Cook, opening Berkeley Rep’s 59th season.  In Tanya Orellana’s superbly appointed and functional kitchen set, Yesenia Iglesias in the titular role will make a vow of loyalty that will split her family apart.

In a powerful, emotional performance Gladys moves from dutiful employee to her ruling class elitists to staid caretaker of the memory of an aristocratic system overruled by communism. Her husband Carlos (Daniel Duque-Estrada) is pro-revolution, tired of the Batista dictatorship as is her gay cousin Julio (Ashton Muñiz). Their hopes are for a new future for Cuba, but Gladys is hesitant.

Entrusted to care for the mansion of the family that gave her a life, Gladys fears the ‘cold reality’ of a new regime but will steadfastly remain loyal. Over time Julio is killed in a prison camp, her husband, now a high-level official, has a mistress and new child and the dreams of a brighter future are never realized. Forty years later finds Gladys living with her husband and the daughter she’s raised. The house is now a paladar, a small, privately owned, family-run alternative restaurant. The rancor of his behavior appears to have dissipated miraculously.

Gladys has always hoped Adria (Gisela Chipe) would return, but instead her daughter Lourdes arrives and instead of a joyous reunion, there’s nothing but bitter recriminations over her family’s misplacement from their homeland. Cooking comes full circle as the savior for Gladys and her stepdaughter.While this is all important information about Cubans who stayed and those who left, The Cook throws a lot of ingredients into the pot, and it muddles the impact of the parts. The sum is ambitious as it tackles infidelity, betrayal, homosexuality, repression, misplaced loyalty and racism.

The Cook continues through October 11th. Tickets and information available at http://www.berkeleyrep.org/ or by calling 510 647-2949.

Photo credits: Ben Krantz Studio