As we head closer to the Fringe, I speak to NI MI MADRE Writer and Performer Arturo Luíz Soria.
This riotous, Obie Award-winning dark comedy is peppered with a 90’s jukebox that shaped a generation, with the music of Gloria Estefan, Cher, Maria Bethânia,
and the spirit of religious Umbanda rituals. Ni Mi Madre opens at Pleasance
Dome - Jack Dome - Venue 23, part of the Edinburgh Festival on Wednesday 31st
July until Monday 26th August 2024.
What is NI MI MADRE about?
Ni Mi Madre is about an over-the-top Brazilian mother with too much botox scrambling to raise her queer son in a backwards American culture where children get time outs instead of chancletazos. When she’s visited by the spirit of her estranged mother, she’s forced to reconcile with a dark past she’s kept tucked away until now.
How excited are you for the show to be making its European premiere in Watford and also playing at the Edinburgh Fringe?
Oh, I’m ecstatic! Performing in the UK has been a dream of mine since I was a kid. Getting to do it in a play that I wrote at the largest theatre festival in the world is beyond what little Arturo could’ve imagined. Everyone I’ve spoken to says that it's utter chaos but magical and I’m so ready for it. Already, I’ve been making friends with others who are bringing their shows to the festival. I can’t wait to see what everyone’s been cooking up!
Where did you get the inspiration from to tell this story and what was it that inspired you?
I mean, my mother, my upbringing, my family have been the immediate inspiration. In high school I was asked to prepare a standup routine for an audition and the first thing I did was an impression of my mother mixing up her divas. Little did I know that that joke would continue on to spawn a full evening of theatre. My family is a complex knot of people—layered, multidimensional, aggravating, loving, hilarious. They drive me to the page…and the stage.
The show has had ‘a thirteen year development period’ could you summarise the most difficult and exciting parts in developing the show and what would you say your writing process is like when developing the piece?
I was in university when Ni Mi Madre first got her legs. It was in a solo performance class– one of the prompts had something to do with childhood. At first, I tried writing from my perspective but it wasn’t as funny as I hoped, so, taking inspiration from the iconic Luis Alfaro, I put on a dress, chugged a bottle of wine, and began improvising the story of my childhood from the point of view of my mother. The more I drank, the faster the words flew out of my mouth and the audience loved it. Somehow becoming her, talking about me, reading my journals, made the story dangerous and exhilarating. Eventually, I stopped drinking, stopped improvising, and began shaping, cutting, and editing. However, this version didn’t really come to fruition until I partnered with my director, Danilo. He brought Brazil to the piece—the missing element—and introduced me to Umbanda. He saw this play as a ritual of forgiveness, something I had only touched upon but was scared to explore deeper. He, along with our outstanding dramaturg and designers, created a colorful container and lifted this story to new heights. I think that’s been the most exciting part of the journey thus far, collaborating with this team. Without their collective genius I’d probably still be performing this in the back of some trashy bar in a cheap dress my mother would never approve of.
How do you feel the UK and Fringe audiences will react to the show?
To be honest, I don’t know. I’m super curious to see how the show translates to a non-American audience. My team and I have made minor changes in the script to help audiences understand specific American cultural references without losing the humour and the rhythm and, much to our surprise, it’s amplified the fish-out-of-water feel this character experiences as an immigrant. I think audiences will have a good time—they’ll laugh, cry, reflect, dance along to the music in their seats, and perhaps even walk away feeling a bit more compassion for themselves and the people who brought them into this world.
How important is it that the show is told on stage today, and what impact do you think it will have on audiences?
People throw the words “generational trauma” around but seldom follow them up with ways to heal. Storytelling, laughter, deep dives into the spiritual realm —these are my attempts to do so. I hope that this play acts as a roadmap for others struggling with offering forgiveness. I’ve always believed that it’s not enough to just see but to hear ourselves reflected on the stage as well. Ni Mi Madre is written/performed in English, Spanish, Spanglish, and Portuguese, highlighting the rhythm of Latino immigrant communities while still inviting in monolingual audiences.
Who should come and see this show and why? What do you think makes ‘Ni Mi Madre’ a unique production?
Ni Mi Madre is unapologetically, queer, brash, full of heart, definitely Latina, and celebrates all the twists and turns of motherhood. It’s for everyone with a mother, especially those who have mothers that dream of seeing their name in lights.
What are your hopes for the show in the future?
How exciting it would be for this queer Brazilian play to run in London! Can’t you see her name in lights already? BETE, just BETE, like MADONNA! Then, to other cities in Europe and abroad. And maybe, just maybe, we’ll expand the Ni Mi Madre universe into a TV series where Bete can glamourize homes around the world.
Favourite part of the show?
Monovision. That’s all I’m saying. You gotta come see it to find out what I mean.
Describe the show in one sentence or 3 words.
Ni Mi Madre is a campy, fun, unapologetic confessional dripping in vino tinto and laced with the spirits.
NI MI MADRE plays at the ED Fringe, from the 31st of JULY until 26th of August.
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