It was apparently Manuel Bohorquez, director of the Guiri FestivaljondoThe one who suggested the idea: why not create, taking advantage of the fact that this year's edition is dedicated to the Netherlands, a show about Vincent Van GoghIsn't the flamenco...like the world, full of mad geniuses and brilliant madmen? Will the path between our music and the author of... be shorter than it seems? The sunflowersWhat would his paintings sound like if they could sing or had strings?
He wants to answer all these questions, or at least hint at them. They call me the crazy one, the production in which the Dutch guitarist combines his talents Tino van der Smann, the Californian dancer Christina Hall and the singer david lakesThis surprising trio will approach the personality and work of the red-haired genius through some fundamental milestones in his life, illustrated with powerful symbols taken from his painting.
This work begins with Cristina Hall practicing spasmodic and repetitive movements, tied to a rope that alludes to La Berceuse, the portrait of Augustine RoulinThe wife of a postman friend of the painter represents the maternal figure, as the rope in the painting is the one that rocked the cradle. The scene unfolds in semi-darkness, like most of the performance, with a dim illumination from lanterns that, in turn, recall those in the painting. Late coffee.
We can continue adding allusions to the Dutchman's painting, and surely this reviewer has missed more than one: the Potato eaters, Crows over the wheat fieldBut the best part is that all of this unfolds with subtlety, without needing to emphasize anything. The story it tells is better understood in light of prior knowledge, but a viewer can still enjoy it (as surely happened in Paloseas) without ever having seen a Van Gogh painting.
"Tino Van der Sman's guitar, flamenco From every angle, it draws from diverse sources, from religious music to classical, even jazz. Hall gives a lesson in how to combine depth and contemporary style without one clashing with the other, in an impressive physical performance. And what can be said of David Lagos, a voice that sings everything?
Because –we continue listing the virtues of this creation– They call me the crazy one It does not exhaust itself in its main inspiration, but uses it as an excuse to sniff out various corners of the human soul: with those few elements (the chair, the table, the steaming pot) we are told about misery, about vital anguish, about the weight of one's own biography, the search for one's place in the world, art as a door of escape or consolation, as David Lagos so movingly sings, "for those who are broken by life."
And yes, we also see the film of Van Gogh's life unfold before our eyes, and we do so in a flamenco key: whether with the taranto that transports us from the mines of Levante to those of Belgium, or by confronting that prostitute – the marvelous Cristina Hall in that scene bathed in red light, with a strong sexual charge, evocative of the abominable Red Light District from Amsterdam—to whom the painter wanted to give his severed ear.
En They call me the crazy oneThe successes are as significant as what is avoided: the work is all elegance, not a single concession to the grotesque or the pathetic, so tempting when tackling a subject like this. Tino Van der Sman's guitar, flamenco From all sides, it draws from diverse sources, from religious music to classical, even jazz, with a splendid finale. Nina Simone and BlackbirdHall gives a masterclass in how to combine depth and contemporary style without one clashing with the other, in an impressive physical performance. And what can be said of David Lagos, a voice that sings everything, from The black heralds de César Vallejo to those tremendous Letters to Theo that one, when leaving the theater, is eager to reread.
The polo and the caña and the bulerías with the traditional lyrics that give the montage its title gradually lead to the resounding end, convincing us that It would be a shame if such a well-crafted proposal were to remain unrealized. Paloseas, while it deserves a long and successful journey.
“You know, Theo? Man isn’t on Earth just to be happy, but simply to be honest.” Honesty, that’s what the show breathes from every angle, honesty and balance. Three solid legs for a very well-built piece of furniture, because even to go crazy, you have to know how. ♦
