“NOSOTRXS” to Premiere in Valparaíso, Exploring Gender, Identity, and teh Human Condition
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A groundbreaking new theatrical work, “NOSOTRXS,” is set to debut in January on the streets of Valparaíso, Chile, promising a challenging and immersive exploration of the human experience. The production, a creation of the OANI Teatro company, began its creative development in April and will unfold in various public spaces throughout the city.
The performance draws inspiration from Plato’s “The Symposium” and its “Myth of the Hermaphrodites,” a philosophical exploration of interdependence and the vital importance of embracing both traditionally masculine and feminine aspects within the self. This Animation Theater Creation and Stage Production Project has received funding from the National Fund for the Promotion and Development of the Performing arts, Call 2025, underscoring its cultural importance.
Deconstructing the Body and Identity
“NOSOTRXS” delves into complex themes surrounding the body – its duality, fragmentation, and potential for both connection and conflict. The work investigates the body as a site of rivalry, desire, and the constant pursuit of self-acceptance, confronting issues of discrimination and the societal construction of gender identity. according to a company representative, the production aims to examine the experiences of those who challenge conventional norms.
The performance will grapple with core concepts like Duplicity/Equality, Mirror/Reflection, Split/Unfolded, and animality/Machine, inviting audiences to contemplate the diverse facets of human existence. The intent is to foster a broader understanding of what it means to be human, navigating the tensions between love and hate, acceptance and rejection, the individual and the collective.
A Collaborative Creative Process
The production team is led by director Claudio Marín, with Camila Landon, Adelaida Loyer, and José Moraga serving as interpreters. Eduardo Jiménez is responsible for integral design, while Carlos Canales has crafted the sound design. Mauricio Barría provides theoretical guidance, Paula Sacur offers choreographic consultancy, and Matías Salinas manages communications.
Sacur described the process as a “reverse process,” focusing on embodying performers and exploring the body as a malleable material. “We realized that the performative state is also a place of sensory perception, we are paying attention to the senses to be able to generate a presence,” she explained.Her work incorporates the principles of embryology, viewing the body’s development as a geometric process of fusion and layering, even suggesting a “monstrous” potential within that creation.
The team also explores the relationship between the human and the mechanical,focusing on fundamental movements and the conscious awareness of internal systems like the skeletal structure. This approach, rooted in body mind centering, aims to cultivate self-knowledge and a sense of presence.
José Moraga, a member of the OANI Teatro Company, highlighted the breadth of the theoretical framework informing the work, encompassing topics such as the hermaphrodite, monstrosities, the cyborg manifesto, and queer theory. He emphasized that the collaboration with Sacur has been instrumental in developing the physicality of the performance, allowing the performers to engage with diverse materialities.
The director, Claudio Marín, has guided the team through a process of exploration and self-discovery. “We have lost ourselves, we have found ourselves again, we have lost ourselves again,” one performer shared, describing the challenging yet rewarding journey. “There we are, trying to survive.” the work is described as an “open field” where past, present, and future converge, creating a sense of uncertainty and profound richness. “US is an open field where time is not linear,” the performer continued, “it is something uncertain, very rich and profound. There we are, lost, shipwrecking.”
