“Culture is broken, and it is becoming difficult to expand culture with theatre and tours, due to the costs. But we must continue, with faith that culture will once again occupy the place it deserves,” says Miguel Angel Rodriguez, who comes back with “Still”, of Florence Natfulewicz, directed by Francisco Lumerman.
The play returns on Friday after a successful first season at Nun, on Fridays at 9pm and Saturdays at 6pm, with a performance by Rodriguez and Manuela Amosa. It tells the story of a father in his armchair and a daughter who returns to rescue him from his cave of memories. We talked with Miguel Angel Rodriguez, who was in last year “Edmond” and finished filming two series, “Hooligan” and “The boxer”.
Journalist: What attracted you to the play to want to play that father?
Miguel Angel Rodriguez: As soon as I read it I loved it, it is a very important primary effect when you read a book that can protect you in that way and convince you of everything. It is a challenge to play a character older than me, who goes through difficult times, that is, the end of life, it has many edges. Renzo is a guy who inspires me and reminds me of people who passed through my life, my grandparents, my father who is 94 years old and although it is not the role of my old man, I liked this guy. It allowed me to go to places that move me, that I like and that go through me, from how to approach a conversation with the daughter, the different thoughts, how everything was before and how it is now, her trying to do something for the father who believes he is a certain way. This character attracted me from all sides, composing it from the physical, from this little place of small scenery, which is his world, so alone and so accompanied at the same time.
Q: What are this father and daughter like?
SEA: She is married, has two children, a world of obligations and commitments, and a dynamic in her life that is contrary to Renzo’s, who has a stance that lets things and life happen. He is overwhelmed by the death of his wife, and she visits him from time to time, but this time she unleashes situations and problems because of these two very different lives. She finds herself without her mother, he without his wife, who was everything to him. He doesn’t want anyone to take care of him, to bother him, to go see him. Renzo did everything and leaves his life to his daughter and son to continue, he is rough, in his way of thinking, of being, in how he approaches situations, in his chair and in his world. This very particular relationship touches the audience.
Q: You debuted on the independent circuit after doing so last year on the official circuit with “Edmond”, how did it happen?
SEA: The story struck me and I said yes, after the great moment of “Edmond” at the Alvear in a huge room, and filming “The Boxer” for Disney. This play was perfect because I was rehearsing at the same time as finishing the filming. And although the response from the public was very good at Nun, we had to cut it short because I had to film the second season of “Barrabrava” so I really wanted to return to this play that I really enjoy. You never know how the theater will go, not because it is a big room will it be full, the theater has that mystery. I had not been to the San Martín either with that format of 2 months of rehearsals and 3 of performance, with a French director, new things that come and are welcome.
Q: What do you enjoy most, theatre, cinema or TV series?
SEA: There is something fascinating about theatre as a form of expression for the artist, it is the truth and reality of having the audience there. The live, the challenge, the actor stripping and giving himself, sailing across other seas, another way of floating in this work. It allows for many things. You rehearse in a way that is not done in television or film, in theatre it is put together with the team. In this work it was a daily artisanal work that allowed us to play something very nice that only theatre allows, until the scenery, the light, the costumes, the music arrive and everything is put together. The independent work allows it a little more. The series I made are long films that allow for another performance, like cinema, from another place, the exposition is different. The director is very clear about what he wants and one gives oneself. The final product is seen after two years, unlike theatre, and accustomed to so many years of TV, with a quick result. I like to see the finished product sooner. Today there is another language and ways of working with series.
Q: How do you see theatre and culture today?
SEA: It happens to me like with the pandemic, I had been scared with the feeling that everything was ending, it was hard and it faded back, it resumed, it filled up and I felt very happy. Now with the change in the country I had that feeling again and yet the theater stands up and continues, Corrientes Street and also the independent theater are full. Luckily the public consumes a lot of theater. Culture is broken, this is a country that feeds other areas with culture inside and outside, and it is becoming difficult to expand culture with theater and tours, due to costs. The producer must also collect what he invests. I return from Greece and Italy, which are mentors of theater, and Argentina is always very well regarded. It is interesting to continue and resume, I have faith that culture will resume and occupy the place it deserves.
Source: Ambito
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
