Hollywood Fringe Review: Habla y te Salvas!
Review of “Habla y te Salvas: Stories of a No Sabo Kid & His Guayaco Dad” by Christopher Moncayo-Torres
On Sunday, June 9th, I attended the premiere of Christopher Moncayo-Torres’ show, “Habla y te Salvas: Stories of a No Sabo Kid & His Guayaco Dad,” which was one of ten Scholarship Recipients for the 2024 Hollywood Fringe Festival.
As a storyteller myself, and increasingly solo-show curious, I have been attending an abundance of solo performances lately, and without a doubt, Christopher’s production stands out as unique.
First of all, it’s not just a solo-show.
Solo-ish
Christopher labels this a “solo-ish show” because his father is on stage with him for the majority of the performance, which adds a powerful layer to both the content and the emotional landscape—in the form of a living breathing man in the midst of processing an intense history with his son.
This factor is significant.
Throughout the show, Christopher shares the core stories of his relationship with his father—not only to the audience—but to his actual father who is sitting on stage with him!
Christopher communicates his memories, which are at times from the perspective of a hurt child who felt abandoned, and his father listens to him and responds—in real time! Tears and all. (At these moments, we are all in tears.)
And furthermore, in addition to the normal challenges of any complex parent-child relationship, there is another big element here, which is embedded in the title of the show. That is, the language barrier between Christopher and his father.
No sabo
Christoper identifies as a “no sabo kid,” and his father has limited English, which is an enormous obstacle for them to overcome.
So in addition to witnessing him share these important moments with his father, Christopher is also giving us a front seat to the frustrations of a family dynamic where communication can’t be expressed in a single language—an experience many children of immigrants can relate to.
It is so intense to witness that at times it takes us to the edge of what we might be comfortable observing in a live theatre setting. But then Christopher’s expert facilitator skills and humorous showmanship sweeps in and takes over, making us feel safe because he never lets it get too far. He gives us moments of relief, with plenty of laughter and love, before building up the intensity once again.
It is as if Christopher plays the conductor of an emotional symphony, while also performing in the featured duet.
He allows the show to organically evolve into heavy moments, but then he takes back over and makes it light again. It feels like being on an exhilarating road trip, but with someone you trust completely behind the wheel.
Like the rest of the audience, throughout the entire 75 minute performance, I was sitting on the edge of my Eastwood Performing Arts Center seat—at the brink of where spectator meets participation.
And here’s the part that really makes this show work:
It’s authentic.
It is the perfect combination of prepared performance and raw vulnerability.
The sensation reminds me of the way we use white space in writing.
White space is what gives readers a moment to breathe, to absorb, to meet the words with our own thoughts and curiosity. It gives us room to engage.
Christopher weaves together script and spontaneity like a master seamstress, and he uses those pockets to have real interactions with his father, in front of us.
Beyond that, Christopher has crafted a production that is both professional and playful, chock full of the very motifs that represent their relationship, which is one that did not start on time.
The themes of the show are built into the set, as they unpack their emotional baggage, and the fact that there is a digital countdown visible on stage emphasizes feelings of urgency and awareness that time is running out, both for the performance and for them.
This is a show that spans the emotional spectrum, from humor to heartache, and the result is a peak inside the window of what feels like a very realistic home.
Go!
Stories of a No Sabo Kid & His Guayaco Dad will be running throughout the Hollywood Fringe Festival, and I have no doubt that each one of these performances will be as unique as the first.
To learn more about Christopher and get tickets for the show, check out his website:
