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Regional Reviews: Las Vegas References to Salvador Dalí Make Me Hot
In the two central acts, minimum-wage worker Gabriela expresses her frustration with the limitations of her life as a military wife in Barstow, California, which she describes as "the edge of nowhere." Her husband Benito has returned from fighting in Middle East, and appears to suffer from PTSD. Although he desperately wants to resume his warrior role, he has been relegated to a desk job after making a disastrous error of judgment on a peacekeeping mission. The couple has conflicting aspirations: Gabriela is taking classes and wants the same for Benito (who reads at the fourth grade level), but he prefers to tough it out in his dead-end job for another eleven years to collect his pension. It is a familiar tale–a couple who married too young and have drifted apart. Bookending this slice-of-life scenario are the episodes of pure surrealism. Gabriela brandishes a gun while looking for vampires at night; she is also convinced that the cactuses are moving closer to her house. The Moon (accompanied by a violinist) flirts with Gabriela, attracting her attention by appealing to her romantic dreams, much to the frustration of Gabriela's horny 14-year-old neighbor Martin, who spies on her through a telescope and begs her to take his virginity. Meanwhile, a neighborhood coyote flirts with Gabriela's house cat, who decides to take a chance on him, even knowing that he has devoured several of the neighborhood cats. Although there are thematic links (for example, the connection between sex and violence, and the desire to break out of domestic boundaries), the two halves of the play never quite come together, meaning that the actors and director must pull a rabbit out of a hat to create a cohesive whole. A Public Fit's production, directed by Gigi Guizado, gets an "A" for effort, but ultimately falls short of complete success. While the actors speak their lines expressively, in most cases it is all too apparent that they are acting. Some rush their lines, as though they are afraid of forgetting them. Because they do not fully inhabit their characters, the emotional stakes are never high enough to engage the audience. Some of this may improve as the actors settle into their roles. One standout is José Anthony as the hungry and lascivious Coyote. Anthony's physicality and expressiveness, as well as his innate sense of timing, make the instincts of the wild animal palpable, and provide a much-needed magical spark. Jamey M. Clay–an estimable actor with impressive range–does his best to bring Benito to life, although the script does not provide much depth for his character. Despite occasionally rushing his lines, Agustín Ballesteros-Martinez as the speaking half of the Moon combines graceful movement with a true feeling for Rivera's language. His musical counterpart, violinist Arturo Hernandez, provides pleasing accompaniment. Eric A. Koger's set design, dominated by a huge illuminated moon, serves the production well. References to Salvador Dalí Make Me Hot, a presentation of A Public Fit Theatre Company, runs through April 22, 2025, at Charleston Heights Arts Center, 800 Brush St., Las Vegas NV. Performances Tuesdays and Thurs.-Sat. at 7pm, and April 13 at 2 pm. For tickets ($35-45) and information, please visit www.apublicfit.org. Cast: Additional Creative: |
