'Cuentos Cruentos' (‘Twisted Tales’) is a little gem working from a playful, smart, satirical text (Dino Lanti) with original music (VO Quartet) that follows a brilliant, winding path across the genres, enveloping the show like a velvet glove. Bravo for Hugo Guzmán’s direction.
Seven performers – a female string quartet, two actors and an actress – bring us, through song, new interpretations of well-known stories (Snow White, Alice in Wonderland, The Three Little Pigs, Cinderella) and other not-so-familiar tales, like the story of a doll ('Barriguitas') or the scatological story of the dog artist, Van Dog. The dwarves are on strike, Snow White is fat and she can’t find a Prince Charming or even a frog, Alice takes too many pills and the three little pigs go on a fruitless search for an apartment.
'Cuentos Cruentos' is creative and stimulating, very well performed with respect to both singing and acting. It’s not your typical musical. The string quartet (Rebecca Macauley, viola; Kirsten Tinkler, violin; Naomi Wedman, violin; Sandrine Robilliard, cello) participates on occasion with their actions, but in just the right way. There are two themes emphasised, and there’s even a little participation from the audience in this well-constructed, grotesque atmosphere. Mariona Ginès, Albert Bolea and Juan Rigat demonstrate fantastic communication skills. Neither adults nor children (ages 10 and up) should miss this. (In Spanish.)