Ariel Dorfman

Well realized capsule drama between a woman and her husband, and a man who may or may not have been the man, part of the now collapsed regime, who tortured and raped her. It asks some questions about the nature of justice and reconciliation after the fall of a regime, but could be transplanted to a different setting as the core concept lingers on the uncertainty of knowing if she's identified him correctly, and the perennial dilemma between justice and revenge.
The only real stumble for me show more was the ending, where it feels like it has a powerful ambiguous ending note, and then it keeps going for yet another scene that doesn't really resolve anything differently and just steps on the preceding line's poignancy. show less

"Death and the Maiden" is heartbreakingly beautiful. You find yourself constantly second-guessing, trying to unwind the tangled evidence. It paints a picture that is very real in countries that have recently moved out from under oppressive governments, and it does so by firmly placing the reader in an unbearably neutral spot. Excellent, excellent play.

The authors do an excellent job of revealing the ideology baked into Disney comics and arguing why it's objectionable. The perspective of a South American reader is very interesting; it must have been incredibly galling to be lectured by these ducks embodying the limited and cruel worldview of the very people meddling with your country at that moment.

They keep a lively sense of fun throughout what would otherwise have been a bit of a slog. Ridicule is an entirely appropriate response to show more being bombarded by the kind of messaging represented by the Donald Duck comics. show less

This play is set during a very specific time: Chile has just rid itself of Pinochet as dictator (though he is still powerful in the government) and is transitioning to a democracy. The new government has created a commission to investigate the human rights violations that occurred under the previous regime; its goal is to record the stories of the victims, but it does not plan to punish the oppressors. In the midst of this context are three characters: Gerardo, a recently appointed member of show more the commission; Paulina, his wife; and Roberto, a seemingly random stranger who helps Gerardo fix a flat tire. However, when Paulina meets Roberto, she immediately recognizes him as one of the men who raped and tortured her while she was a political prisoner 15 years ago. The ensuing events pose difficult questions about the nature of truth and justice.

This is a very short work with a very big impact. It definitely kept me riveted and anxious to find out what would happen next. There are many significant questions raised, and in the end almost none of them are answered. Yet, in my opinion, these ambiguities are what make the play so powerful. The three characters are very intriguing and complex, and it seems that none of them can be taken at their face value. I would strongly recommend this play; while it is a very quick read, it is also extremely intense and thought-provoking. show less