The New Comedy at San Diego REP You MUST See (Through Oct 9)

Posted by: Allison Gower on September 22, 2016 in Events & Entertainment 806 views 0

If you enjoy satirical comedy, especially humor that incorporates real history with modern events and political happenings, we highly recommend Manifest Destinitis. It is a laugh-inducing play showing through October 9, 2016. Making references to local areas such as Chula Vista and National City, it couldn’t be more relevant to San Diego locals either.

Playwright in Residence for San Diego Repertory Theatre, Herbert Singueza, takes us into the world in which California was part of Mexico, where the “Yankees” coming are the foreign invaders – an ironic and thought provoking perspective in today’s political climate. There are comical utterings of all things modern American, from Clinton and Trump to pilates.

Trouble starts when the hypochondriac ranch owner, Don Aragon, decides to wed his daughter, Angelica, to a doctor…a character so wonderfully awkward that he had the audience bent over laughing. Angelica, of course, is in love with someone else – an American who uses classic “whoa dude” surf language and rocks Rainbow sandals in every scene.

Through it all, Indian servant Tonia, played by Playwright Singueza donning a wig and voluptuous skirt!, brings delightful wit and killer one liners.

As Singueza says, “I want to show California when it was still Mexico and the Yankee was thought of as the immigrant…I use comedy and history to show how we are all interconnected and there’s no ‘us’ and ‘them’.”

In this play, the spirit of fighting for Mexico is encompassed by Luisa, Don Arago’s other daughter. Jennifer Paredes, who plays Angelica, also plays revolutionist Luisa. She is a woman of passion (revolution being just one of her…interests!) and candle lit book clubs. Paredes executes her character change wonderfully, changing her voice and entire demeanor dramatically between “tomboy” Luisa and pigtail-shaking Angelica.