‘TeatroCinema: Historia De Amor’ Finds a Stunning Way to Tell a Twisted Story

John Turner

A disturbing story of love and obsession along with live actors and stunning visual effects equals a brilliant, unique production. That’s the formula behind “TeatroCinema: Historia de Amor,” a remarkable multi-genre presentation that has performances at REDCAT Theater March 31 to April 3. The show features the cutting-edge work of TeatroCinema, a Chilean art company that combines live action, digital compositions, 2D and 3D graphics and animation in its productions. The REDCAT performances are intended for mature audiences and will be in Spanish with English supertitles.

According to its website, TeatroCinema was originally called La Troppa (“The Troop”) and was formed in the late ’80s by three graduates of the School of Theater at the Catholic University of Chile who sought to combine live theater with visual art. Their company became an instant hit and was soon touring the globe with productions of “Journey to the Center of the Earth” and “Pinocchio” with the actors intermingling with projected live art. Eventually, La Troppa began incorporating more cinematic techniques into their productions and in 2005, the company’s founders changed its name to TeatroCinema to reflect its new direction. Soon, TeatroCinema began receiving invitations from world-class venues like Lincoln Center in New York City and Edinburgh International Festival where it first presented “Historia de Amor” to thrilled audiences in 2013.

The story of “Historia de Amor,” based on the graphic novel of the same name by French writer Régis Jauffret, chronicles an English teacher who abducts a young woman and essentially dominates her life in a variety of ways. While the story itself is dark and twisted, TeatroCinema’s approach to telling it is beautiful and breathtaking. As the trailer for the production perfectly illustrates, the troupe uses mostly black and white images and lighting to make audiences believe they are watching a comic book come to life.

In a recent interview prior to a performance at Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art, TeatroCinema Art Director Laura Pizarro said that “Historia de Amor” is “an allegory of abuse. It is about a lack of rights, about fragmentation, about the devaluing of the human being.” Abusive or not, the company has found a stunning way of telling this story.

“TeatroCinema: Historia de Amor” is at REDCAT Theater March 31-April 3. For more information and tickets, visit the theater’s event page.