In the show You Shall Love, the Chilean group Bonobo continues its research on the violence committed against “others” in a democratic society – the title alludes to the Christian commandments. In this ironic comedy, a group of Chilean doctors is preparing for an international conference on prejudice in medicine. The debate, permeated by questions such as who the enemy is and how it is built, becomes more complex due to the recent arrival of the Amenitas, aliens who settled on Earth. Misunderstood, diminished and feared, these beings offer the opportunity for the group to reflect on the love, violence and hatred implicit in their relationship with the “outsiders”. Awarded in Chile and Japan, the play was developed in residencies at Espacio Checoeslovaquia, in Santiago, and at the Baryshnikov Arts Center, in New York.

Bonobo is a theatre company founded in 2012 by artists Pablo Manzi and Andreina Olivari proposing to bring to the stage new works that stimulate the viewer’s critical reflection. Through a collective creation methodology emphasizing research and improvisation, they have become one of the most respected young groups in Chilean theatre. Its repertoire includes the shows Amansadura (2012), Donde Viven los Bárbaros (2015) and You Shall Love (2018), which took part in festivals in Germany, Belgium, Holland, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Japan, Mexico, Brazil, Peru and Chile.

CRITICS

The greatest win of You Shall Love, in addition to its well thought out title of biblical effects, is that it puts our idea of progress, democracy and evolution in an uneasy and gray area. The lowest drives in relation to others (hatred, intolerance, fear) seem to be assumed as part of our daily lives and the progressive idea of seeing ourselves as equals. The work wrecks this notion and shows it in a dialectic between the public and private spheres in times when the official discourse imposes a hulking vision of the good.

JORGE LETELIER, Culturizarte

The piece is a work which density of content could be suffocating, however, the humor of its wise dialogues introduces the viewer little by little into the critical reflection on the subjects that the title poses: the sneaky everyday violence, the prejudices that shape our behavior and our decisions, the inconsistency between being and what we should be, the unintended consequences of our actions, among other issues. They are sharp voices, made by a cast of well-directed actors and whose corporeality complements the thoughts (un) revealed in the words they use.

JESSENIA CHAMORRO SALAS, Cine y Literatura

TECHNICAL SHEET

DRAMATURGY: Pablo Manzi
DIRECTORS: Andreina Olivari and Pablo Manzi
CAST: Gabriel Cañas, Carlos Donoso, Paulina Giglio, Guilherme Sepúlveda and Gabriel Urzúa
SET, LIGHT AND COSTUME DESIGN: Felipe Olivares and Juan Andrés Rivera
ORIGINAL MUSIC: Camilo Catepillán
TECHNICAL MANAGER: Raúl Donoso
PRODUCTION: Horacio Pérez
COPRODUCTION: Espaço Checoeslovaquia and Fundación Teatro a Mil

This show is supported by DIRAC – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile