Review: TERAPIA (THERAPY) at Teatro ECAS

Teatro ECAS (Education Center of Arts and Science) kicks off its 26th season with Martín Giner’s play, ‘Terapia’ (Therapy), an intriguing, highly entertaining dramatic comedy that invites the audience to be a fly on the wall during a series of sessions between a psychiatrist and his most challenging patient.

On a stage with little more than a desk and chair on display, El Doctor (The Doctor), played by José Luis Suazo, begins recording a voice memo to his colleague, Dr. Bernstein. The therapist is in desperate need of advice from his mentor for the treatment of a new patient who seemingly suffers from a multitude of disorders.

The timeline flashes back to El Doctor’s first introduction to El Paciente (The Patient), portrayed by Andersson Tejeda, who initially comes across as an innocent, jovial, well-adjusted young man. The patient explains that he made the appointment for his mother, yet when he brings her in to meet the doctor, she appears to be a figment of his imagination. What follows as they get better acquainted with each other is a sequence of hilarious psychological experiments gone wrong, including Rorschach tests, repetition exercises, and frank discussions about family, sex, companionship, and loneliness.

Superbly directed by Francis Parra, both actors master the plentiful dialogue, delivering outstanding performances, rife with intensity and sincerity. The script provides a revealing, affecting profile of the doctor-patient relationship, and while there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, the quieter, solemn instances pack an even greater emotional punch.

By the end, the audience has a clearer picture of who these men are, yet questions remain unanswered, which one could argue was the playwright’s intention, so that the conversation will continue after the performers have exited the stage. ‘Terapia’ may be a short play, but its effect is lengthy and profound.

‘Terapia’ runs through October 29 at Teatro ECAS, 679 Valley Street in Providence. Performed in Spanish with English subtitles, for information and tickets, call 401-421-3227 or visit https://www.teatroecas.org/.

Photo Credit: Bay McCulloch

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