Review: THE HOUSE OF BERNARDA ALBA at GALA Hispanic Theatre

Federico García Lorca’s THE HOUSE OF BERNARDA ALBA at GALA Hispanic Theatre is both timely and timeless. Written to capture feelings of isolation in an authoritarian society, the theatre’s production builds on what came before and what is seen today.

The widow Bernarda Alba (Luz Nicolás), her servant, Poncia (Evelyn Rosario Vega), and her five daughters return home after the funeral of her second husband. Bernarda shuts the group in for a societally respectable period of mourning. Her strictness comes from a rigid adherence to her perceived reputational code. The sisters, sealed in by the walls of the Alba compound, ponder the limited freedoms they have and opportunities to get out from Bernarda’s thumb. However, this leads to stress coming to a head in Bernarda Alba’s pressure cooker of a home.

Luz Nicolás as Bernarda Alba gives the character a calculatingly chilling air. Her interactions, especially with Poncia (Evelyn Rosario Vega) who displays a similar sense of twisted reasoning, brings forward a visible totalitarian figure true to García Lorca’s intended meaning.  María del Mar Rodríguez' portrayal of Angustias is rich in its complexity and well laid out torn loyalties. María Coral gives off the vital, hopeful sense of resistance in Adela. Giselle González also shines as Martirio, slowly uncovering shocking hidden meanings. González’ acting pairs well with Ixchel as Amelia, who seeks what is right in an unjust setting.

Magdalena, Anna Malavé is likewise done justice as an encouraging leader of the sisters. Alicia Kaplan (María Josefa, Prudencia), is an audience favorite in her oracle-like expression of Prudencia. Remarkably evident is how all actors display an incredible depth of emotion and rawness fitting for THE HOUSE OF BERNARDA ALBA.

The scene in which Adela is attacked by her four sisters under the watch of Bernarda Alba, choreographed by Lorraine Ressegger-Slone, is particularly heavy. While the play was written in the context of the authoritarian rise of Francisco Franco, the scene’s performance, staging, and contextual expansion echoes the waves of dictatorship, particularly historical instances seen in the Americas, and how bloody times have led to scarred communities and simmering resentment. 

In a similar sense, is the minimalist functionality of the set which entraps and contracts alongside the pacing of the show. It is clear that these stylistic choices under the direction of Director José Zayas have all been made with the utmost of thought. All theatrical components are woven well together to have the audience understand weighty concepts on a micro scale, spelling out how despotic rule is perpetuated through fear, brutality, discord and silent suffering.

The show has endured throughout the decades and the timeless content is clearly and artistically delivered at GALA Hispanic Theatre. THE HOUSE OF BERNARDA ALBA is a performance that is both a fable and a warning of the weight of tyranny. For all these reasons and more, the show is worth attending.