Mapa Teatro

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Many storylines start with a conflict, however «La Despedida» begins with a peace agreement. Following 52 long years of civil war, the Colombian government and the left-wing guerrilla group FARC agreed upon a ceasefire. This was in 2016 and, as with any significant historical moment, the question arises: how will we remember the past?

«La Despedida» commemorates this event which took place in the middle of the jungle. In a dense palm forest with forgotten uniforms, the show stages the farewell (Spanish: despedida) of the guerrilla. Everyone has come to this strange and poetic get-together in order to revive the ghosts of the past. During this seductive mix of archive recordings, revolutionary songs and video footage, exuberant celebration and violence merge into each other.

According to Mapa Teatro, the energetic fusion of celebration and violence is quite common in Colombia. It also characterises the company's three-part project «Anatomía de la violencia en Colombia», which started in 2010 and concludes with «La Despedida». In almost 40 years of its existence, this multi-disciplinary collective has developed a unique artistic handwriting: Its political criticism and high aesthetic aspiration make Mapa Teatro one of South America's most significant theatre companies. (am)