Fuente Ovejuna

2 Pages 423 Words

The play’s central plot focuses on Frondoso (Andy Schlichter COL ’02), a peasant who is forced to defend his honour and his love, Laurencia (Danielle Cantrel, SFS ’02), against a tyrannical overlord. Played out against the backdrop of the 15th-century Spanish Catholic monarchy, the village of Fuente Ovejuna finally rises against the tyrannical Commander (Sean Greene, COL ’01) to protect its two citizens.

The importance of collective action and responsibility saturates the story, and all of the characters are solid in their own performances. Cantrel is a standout as the energetic heroine, as is Alex Banks (COL ’01) who plays the hang-loose Esteban.

Cabrera dilutes the historical aspect of the play with contemporary costumes and a simple set that imitates Gaudi using soda bottles. Her attempt to relate the events of the play with those of modern times is understandable because "Fuente Ovejuna" adapts historical details for mainly poetic purposes.

Stripped down to its bare bones, the story deals with the reconstruction of a perfect world. However, the play is tightly tied to its setting in that it revolves around class struggles specific to the period. These important themes are weakened in her modern translation and leave the play unbalanced.

Cabrera’s most ambitious decision is to present the play through a feminist perspective, adding an interesting element to the power struggles within the play. Most of the male characters are chauvinistic and self-important; women portray the obedient or manipulative characters. Cabrera also casts some actors in two opposing roles, allowing them to experience two characters with varying degrees of power and importance. It becomes as much a learning experience for the actors as it does for the audience.

By the third act, the play’s cohesiveness begins to disintegrate. De Vega’s script, which appears to lose its drive, is partly to blame. It is as if he became bored with t...