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- "Frida … A Self Portrait" theatre play opened October 15 at Portland Center Stage at the Armory
"Frida … A Self Portrait" theatre play opened October 15 at Portland Center Stage at the Armory
19 October 2021
Vanessa Severo's one-woman show, which she developed, wrote, and acted in, will run for more than two dozen performances until Nov. 7.
The act is only 75 minutes long and Severo is the only person on stage, slipping into a variety of clothing, pivoting into various timbres and accents, smoothly flowing in and out of a variety of postures to play multiple characters (her dancing background is apparent).
This intimate solo performance, set on the eve of Frida Kahlo's death, delves into the rich, multifaceted world of Kahlo's stormy, exceptional life - but goes far beyond biography. Instead, Vanessa Severo, a Brazilian writer and performer, creates a deep connection with the famed Mexican artist, bringing amazing physicality and real honesty to this beautifully inventive work. Finally, the play creates a portrait of two artists by combining Kahlo's life with Severo's own experiences as a child born with a congenital disease to freshly emigrated parents in the United States.
You don't learn much about Kahlo's visual art in this minimalist piece — though the acting is anything but restrained. However, you learn a lot about her anxiety, suffering, traumas, loneliness, hardships, physical agony, and her ability to love, forgive, hate, and envy.
