What I liked
Great energy, showing purpose and vigor throughout the show, good production values, interesting take on a personal family history from generational viewpoints, succinct and to the point, fantastic take on a strong female protagonist. Garcia nails the audience with her skill on the floor.
What I didn't like
First five minutes or so lacked the early hook needed to stay interested, some transitions too quick, confusing, many names to remember and keep track given the time frame, the youngest protagonist not as interesting or fleshed out as the grandmother, some cliche moments (the feisty Latin woman, overly boisterous in some scenes)
My overall impression
Gabriela Ortega’s posthumous tale of three generations of “Las Garcia” takes center stage on her one-woman show of loss, confusion, and yearning to fill in the gaps of taken history by the April, 1965 Dominican Republic removal of leftist president Juan Bosch. Seen from the perspective of the grandmother, Ortega captures the role with vigor and purpose and encapsulates the story of an artist caught in the midst of revolution down to the minutia, through emotional and provocative stage presence, often catching the audience to be one with her story. Given the hour long format, the pacing can be rather quick, and the transitions can get muddled going from one to the other, this play is also densely packed, requiring the utmost attention to characters and names. Overall, a powerhouse performance is given with passion, purpose, and meaning from Ortega. A must watch.
