ARRABAL by John Weidman and Gustavo Santaolalla (BASE Entertainment/Mirvish). At the Panasonic Theatre (651 Yonge). $44-$84. 416-872-1212. See listing. Rating: NNN
A sultry mix of passion and politics, the new dance-theatre piece Arrabal isn’t quite where it could be dramatically, but the music, movement and heart still make it an entertaining show.
In a prologue set in a milonga (tango club) in 1979 Buenos Aires, new dad Rodolfo (co-choreographer Julio Zurita) is picked up by the country’s secret police for opposing the military dictatorship of General Jorge Rafael Videla. He’s taken away and interrogated, but what becomes of him?
Eighteen years later, Videla’s trial now is in the news, and Rodolfo’s daughter Arrabal (Micaela Spina) arrives in the big city, discovers the tango scene, finds romance and eventually, via the milonga’s elegant owner El Puma (Carlos Rivarola), is introduced to her father’s story.
There’s a lot of narrative, history and characters to pack in, and director/co-choreographer Sergio Trujillo uses a mix of video, photographs and of course music and dance to impart it all. But John Weidman, who wrote the book for the similarly wordless dance/theatre piece Contact, needs to find more clarity in the storytelling.
Whenever there’s a dance sequence, whether it’s a passionate triangle involving the smouldering Juan (Juan Cupini), the (literally) kickass alpha female Nicole (Soledad Buss) and the chaste Arrabal, a group tango number that’s like Viagra in motion or a touching scene in which the famous Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo – who protest to discover what happened to their children – get one last tango with their lost ones, the feeling and emotion are palpable.
Gustavo Santaolalla’s music is electrifying and catchy, suggesting the feel of a real milonga.
But with copious flashbacks, characters who come back from the dead and the occasional soccer image crowding the show, things get complicated. Does Arrabal enter a brothel at one point? Did I spot a lesbian scene?
And it’s unfortunate that a few dance sequences feature performers wearing black pants against a dark background, making it hard to discern their intricate movements.
These things should be worked out by the time the show leaves this world premiere. Just enjoy the music and dance, and if one of the ensemble members finds you in the audience, join in and show off your moves.
