The brutality exposed by poverty and ignorance as experienced by three individuals is the focus of the 75-minute one act drama “Mud” by playwright Maria Irene Fornes. The play, running now through Saturday, June 14 at Empire Stage in Ft. Lauderdale, marked an impressive opening to Latine Theater Lab, the new South Florida regional theater company.
The play is not for the faint of heart, as the audience lives through the pessimism and hostile relationship between three individuals living in a rural farm, presumably in the United States in the early part of the 20th century, although the time and setting of the play is unknown.
Before a word of dialogue is spoken by the actors, the audience feels that something odd is about to happen as the play opens. Lloyd (actor Eric Gospodinoff) is walking aimlessly in a farm filled with hay and noises of pigs squealing and is restless as he is experiencing pain.
Actor Eric Gospodinoff (Lloyd) in the drama “Mud” produced by Latine Theater Lab at Empire Stage in Ft. Lauderdale.
As an interchange between Lloyd and Mae (actress Caila Katz) unfolds, the audience learns that Mae lives in the rural farm with Lloyd, but they are not married or brother and sister. Rather, Mae accepted Lloyd as an apparent live-in boarder who was thrust upon Mae by her late father several years earlier.
Lloyd suffers from a health issue but refuses to see a doctor in the village or buy prescriptions for his ailment, frustrating Mae. Mae is seeking to become formally educated, reading books to the dismay of Lloyd, who prefers to waste his day sleeping or complaining about Mae not serving his dinner. Lloyd shows no compassion for Mae despite the fact that he is totally dependent upon Mae for his existence and companionship.
Actress Caila Katz (Mae) in the drama “Mud” produced by Latine Theater Lab at Empire Stage in Ft. Lauderdale.
Adding to the tension in the play is the introduction of Henry (actor Juan Gamero), a neighbor who reads to Mae and is developing a romantic relationship with her. As time passes, the tensions arise as there is jealousy between Henry and Lloyd concerning Mae and Mae becoming dissatisfied and angry about her relationship with both men.
A catastrophe involving all three characters changes the dynamics of the threesome in an unexpected climax. The climax leads to dire consequences for each of the three characters that will make the audience shiver with fear and anguish in a surprise ending.
The deep emotions expressed by Gamero, Gospodinoff and Katz grips the audience as does the tense story by Fornes. The set of a dark, dirty hovel of a farm complete with pig squeals, created by set designer Andrew Rodriguez Triana and intimacy director Nicole Perry, along with the fast pacing of the story by director Alex Gonzalez added to the suspense and terror of the story.
What is impressive about the play and the production is that “Mud” is not a sensationalist horror story but rather an intense look at how poverty stifles creativity and gives the audience much to ponder at the close of the play.
Latine Theater Lab made a positive impression with its first play and hopefully will grow in stature as more plays will be produced.
Playwright Maria Irene Fornes’ one act drama “Mud”, presented by Latine Theater Lab, is running now through June 14 at Empire Stage, 1140 N. Flagler Dr. in Fort Lauderdale, Performances are on Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m. and on Saturday at 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Tickets range from $15-$35. For tickets and information, go to empirestage.com or call 954-678-1496.
