Yes, to everything by Antonio Álamo & Abel Mora and the art of knowing how to tell a story based on real events – | ACHTUNG!

2023-11-18 20:00:38

In Yes to everything Abel Mora tells us a tragicomedy that he himself experienced firsthand. I tell you about one of those stories that mark one’s life, but, nevertheless, he relates us to any other person. To the extent that all of us have something that deserves to be told.

I have always been in favor of valuing the biographies of those who have surrounded me, even though many summarize their own biographies as being “routine” or not harboring anything out of the ordinary. If we take this to an extreme, the “adventures” that are interpreted in this creation of Antonio Álamo & Abel Mora, are something that has come to be represented on stage due to a series of contingencies. However, if we, the spectators, do our part, we will be aware that we have attended the presentation of a testimony with the same luxury of detail and hospitality, typical of a friend who invites you to his house to spend the afternoon of a Sunday.

You know those moments in which a person enjoys what he is telling so much that he gets up from his chair and interprets for us the words and actions of those who starred in the story at play, well, that is precisely the starting point of this creation. This is: Abel Mora and Maka Rey They use a selection of resources that are put at the service of the scenic rhythm of Yes to everything. Configured through the harmonious combination of object manipulation, character changes, space redistribution, sound effects by Maka Rey (without forgetting, her acting supports)…

Photo: Agustín Hurtado

For example, if we stop a little in the exhaustive study of the space/time that was taken for this creation. Abel Mora and Maka Rey took us from one place to another using changes in tone of voice, body postures, sound effects…, and not least, coordinating with an extraordinary lighting design (by Manuel Colchero and José Mende) who knew how to “spice up” the issues that this team of professionals wanted to remain visible. While it is true that all of this is not new, it is true that doing it well is what differentiates “marking” something that is considered relevant from what is purely artistic. Since the key is in how what is done is done, not so much in what is being told. In the sense that there are countless stories that have come to us from different formats and voices, from the most disparate places in the world. That’s why we sometimes have the feeling that those of us who are watching “already know him.” Where I want to get to with all this is that the direction of this work was done with so much love and intelligence, that its focus was that we, the viewers, limit ourselves to listen and become familiar with the story of Abel Mora, as if it were an immersive experience.

Photo: Agustín Hurtado

In fact, Yes to everything dignifies the testimony of this Andalusian professional, as his insecurities come to light, his moments of lucidity, his desires in life, celebrations… It is not that he went through a kind of “epiphany”, rather he had to deal with some medical interventions within a year and a half, in which, until the last moment, it would be determined whether he would emerge alive or not. Thus, putting into operation the “operation” of putting together a scenic work about something is a challenge in which the priority is to make it shine more if possible, which gives meaning and significance to the human drama. Making it compatible with the fact that the members of the public can feel identified, starting because many of us would have reacted in ways similar to what is represented on stage. And that is exactly what mimesis is based on, and consequently, the process of transmitting specific content and emotions is more effective.

Photo: Agustín Hurtado

Definitely, Yes to everything I think it is a fantastic, mature and very balanced work.. Well, here the priority was not to “entertain” or fall into “melodramas”, but rather to present an individual from his complexity and beauty. Of course, seeing this work has been a pleasure and a learning experience when it comes to the composition of a drama, and how to express something that is and is not explicit in these experiences of Abel Mora.