De Nada Dance Theatre - Mariposa - Lancaster & on tour

[Jan McNulty]

I had a bit of an adventure last night going to Lancaster's Dukes Theatre to see Carlos Pons Guerra's Mariposa.

 

It is an incredibly powerful piece of dance theatre that is a queer reworking of Madame Butterfly.

 

Mariposa is set in 1970s Cuba.  Mariposa is a sex worker who falls in love with a visiting sailor.  The sailor is conflicted by his desire for Mariposa and his need for conformity.  He goes off with Kate.

 

Mariposa is used and abused in the brothel and dreams of his sailor Preston.

 

The end of Act 1 sees him deciding to transition.

 

In Act 2 we see Preston returning to Cuba with his wife and Mariposa desperately trying to be what he wants.  In the end Mariposa realises there is no hope and dies.

 

The music is a mixture of soundscape, Latin rhythms and snatches from Madame Butterfly and provides a perfect frame for the work.  The set is very dark with strips of translucent fabric with butterflies on it.

 

There is the most beautiful duet for Mariposa and Preston in Act 1, brim full of yearning.  

 

Act 2 is so powerful I quite forgot to breathe.  It starts with Mariposa lying on the stage in pain.  His transition is shown by the wearing of pointe shoes.  It is incredibly moving to watch Mariposa's attempts to stand up in the pointe shoes helped by the sometimes caring brothel keeper.  I say sometimes caring because the use and abuse continue too.

 

Preston and Kate have returned to the island and Mariposa meets Kate.  Preston's internal conflict is shown but ultimately Kate wins the day.  Mariposa realises there is no hope and dies.  The brothel keeper and a goddess like figure manipulate Mariposa to the back of the stage and the piece ends with a re-dressed Mariposa rising Phoenix-like from the floor to soar away.

 

Carlos Pons Guerra has assembled an outstanding cast.  All except Mariposa dance multiple roles.  Miles Kearly is outstanding and incredibly moving in the title role.

 

There are some moments of intense beauty but Mariposa is not always an easy watch because of its themes of abuse.  It is absolutely unmissable.