EdinburghThe mezcal’s on hand for this strange song-filled journey into the land of the dead Comala review – haunting and hallucinatory musical theatre from MexicoThis article is more than 8 months oldZoo Southside then so too does this music-theatre version by Mexico’s Pulpo Arts we gather closely around a stage only just big enough for the eight performers and their giant drums The story is less acted than spirited out of the ether That story concerns Juan Preciado (Stephano Morales) whose deathbed promise to his mother is to find his estranged father he must venture into the land of the dead and the ghost town of Comala “Some towns just reek of misery,” someone says about a place that is “full of those who died and don’t know how to leave” Traditional Mexican instruments score the production Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The GuardianIn playwright Conchi León’s Spanish-language adaptation past and present lap fluidly over each other He is a man who “rose like unwanted weeds” to rule over the place Even the sweeter townsfolk seem to have been complicit as the rot spread through the whole of Comala “It was the whispers that killed me,” says Juan enigmatically all the more so in a production – based on an idea by co-creators Alonso Teruel and Alejandro Bracho – in which each actor/musician takes on several characters one represented by nothing more than an animal bone They do not so much tell a story as drift and dream their way through it sometimes bubbles up into song – a suggestion that even in this dark and haunted place the possibility of beauty is not extinguished yet At Zoo Southside, Edinburgh All our Edinburgh festival reviews the Mestiza reimagining of Pedro Páramo’s novel makes its international debut at Fringe The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the biggest arts festival in the world, with over 3,700 shows. This year, Playbill is on board our FringeShip for the festival and we’re taking you with us. Follow along as we cover every single aspect of the Fringe Playbill is seeing a whole lotta shows—and we’re letting you know what we think of them opinionated guide as you try to choose a show at the festival Comala, Comala, a breathtaking reimagining of Juan Rulfo’s novel Pedro Paramo is the fulfillment of a son’s promise to his dying mother: Find his estranged father and breathe life into a land where the living are haunted by the heartaches of the dead by Mestiza playwright Conchi León (with music and lyrics by Pablo Chemor) debuts at Fringe after a sold-out run in Mexico City This fever dream of protagonist Juan Preciado (played movingly by Stephano Morales) is aided by a troupe of musicians who seamlessly slip through the ether The company of performers announce their roles each moving from character to character with the dexterity of a hand plucking a fiddle’s strings a reckoning to which we are to bear witness takes place almost entirely in candlelight with its eight performers huddled between large drums entirely in Spanish and presented with English supertitles Time is fluid as the town Comala rises from the ashes Juan learns of his father’s cruelty; he was a violent man who frightened the townsfolk into complacency only begetting more tragedy at their demise. For those audience members who benefit from content warnings the show does feature discussion of sexual assault Pedro was a cancer about whom the townsfolk can only whisper and it’s the whispers that threaten to undo Juan as he struggles to catch his breath a sense of blink-and-you’ll-miss-it in the push-and-pull between watching the supertitles and watching the actors (especially for those who are unfamiliar with the novel) there is also a sense of powerlessness to the brutality of men There are melodies you cannot help but hum along to both in and out of the small theatre space There is a soft appreciation for folklore and a curiosity about the specters we pass through as we wander Comala is an arresting spiritual experience but we can wake the dead and give them an audience We can find beauty in a haunting, and community in grief We can let music and mysticism wash over us for just about an hour a paper cup of mezcal as our spirit guide.  Comala, Comala is performed at ZOO Southside until August 25. Tickets are available here Noah Himmelstein will direct Matthew Puckett's original musical Neumann is the Tony nominated choreographer behind Hadestown and Swept Away one Tony winner is playing the trumpet while the other is channeling Madame Rose Due to the expansive nature of Off-Broadway and institutes have been revealed by the industry stalwart Thank You!You have now been added to the list Blocking belongson the stage,not on websites Our website is made possible bydisplaying online advertisements to our visitors Please consider supporting us bywhitelisting playbill.com with your ad blocker.Thank you a film based on the iconic novel by Juan Rulfo The film is Rodrigo Prieto's directorial debut made with a team of Mexican artists and technicians of the highest level and prestige The production stands out for the work carried out “behind the scenes” as each sequence reflects the efforts of numerous extras who made Comala a reality in its two periods: the heyday and the devastating fall The significant economic spillover caused by Pedro Páramo once again proves the enormous power of the cultural industries the film brought in more than $375 million pesos to Mexico's economy which includes both direct spending on production as well as spending throughout the supply chain The production team was made up of more than 550 technicians and artists this resulted in more than 14,900 hotel nights booked in the state and more than 900 extras who participated in the filming in San Luis Potosí The costume design department collaborated with artisans and tailors from various states around the country Tlaxcala; charro tailors from Aguascalientes more than 5,000 garments were designed and manufactured for use during filming the soundtrack was performed by more than 30 traditional musicians from different states Speaking about how he brought the book to the screen which took more than 50 days in the states of Nayarit and San Luis Potosí which is a very important place in the book” Netflix VP of Content for Latin America highlighted that: "There is no clearer way to prove Netflix's commitment to Mexico The impact that cultural industries have on society is enormous but also because of the spillover calculated in thousands of highly skilled and highly paid jobs The work 'Pedro Páramo' has a value that endures over time and this film adaptation will have that value as well” Pedro Páramo is now available to stream on Netflix Read more about the film adaptation of Pedro Páramo HERE Netflix is one of the world's leading entertainment services with over 283 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series films and games across a wide variety of genres and languages pause and resume watching as much as they want Jamaican author Comala Remogene is celebrating the official launch of her debut book Call Her Majesty on August 23 at the Miramar Town Center in Florida the book was first released in September 2023 with attendance from high profile guests including The Miramar Commission Maxwell Chambers and Counsel General Oliver Mair Also present were the Broward County School board and the author’s title sponsor Toyota of Hollywood “It was a fantastic book launch; the turnout was huge everyone had a great time and it’s a great sign for what’s to come,” the author said The book’s storyline plunges readers into a world of suspense by weaving intricate plots and multi-layered characters that keep the reader guessing and wanting more The vivid plot will be brought to life through a movie adaption for the book which is currently in the planning stages and slated to be shot in Jamaica Florida and possibly other parts of the Caribbean “We held the casting call leg on October 20 at the City Hall in Miramar,” Remogene said Plans are also in place for auditions to take place in Jamaica “Right now I need my Jamaican sponsors so we can brand this thriller romance gangster film so that process is currently in the works,” she added With quite a bit of experience in the creative and entertainment industries herself Comala has a background in entertainment television and was the executive producer for the Hype TV shows Fashion Village and Fashion Frenzie Call Her Majesty is available for purchase in hardcopy Reviews It’s no surprise that the cinematographer’s directorial feature debut is an alluring ghost story full of visual intrigue and surrealist imagery giving him the space to showcase his strengths while working out some of the storytelling mechanics.  Based on Juan Rulfo’s book by the same title “Pedro Páramo” follows Juan Preciado a man grieving the death of his mother as he carries out her wish to track down his long-estranged father where they once lived in the faraway town of Comala Instead of the once-bustling village his mother described Juan finds a ghost town full of nightmarish stories about his father who laid waste to the area as a rich ranch owner with unchecked power over the women and local resources As Juan hears each new story of woe from its ghostly residents creating a complicated portrait of the man he would never have the chance to meet “Pedro Páramo” is an impressive work of cinematography who both directs and serves as the film’s director of photography alongside fellow cinematographer Nico Aguilar begins this story by showing the vast sparseness surrounding the town as if to highlight its isolation from the rest of the world before entering Comala with a sense of foreboding He plays with surrealistic moments of imagining a vision of lost souls floating above the desolate village and black-and-white sexual fantasies on a beach as a solitary retreat for one of the characters But even outside the realm of the imagined his camerawork is just as impressive capturing the mundanity of these violent times like when lens floats over a stream of water and follows it as it pools around a dead body float through a busy party to eavesdrop on several characters in various locations on the ranch or when it sweeps over a long table like a dolly shot right into the face of one of our main characters as he’s surrounded by potential enemies.  Prieto’s cinematography can be so exciting that it redeems some of the crowded parts of the film’s uneven script Mateo Gil’s screenplay of Rulfo’s “Pedro Páramo” feels painfully condensed moving through the film’s mysteries as if speedwalking through the narrative like an aunt mentioning one unknown relative after another because she assumes you already know all about them The experience felt like watching a season of a TV show in one afternoon and every episode featured new characters and plotlines that crisscrossed at various times Ghostly characters apparate in and out of the frame with alarming regularity and it took a moment to learn to be on the lookout for the next character swap and a new story leading the camera briskly to its new storyline Huerta appears almost too briefly among many spirited visions he is our surrogate who–while regretful in following his mother’s request–leads us into the past to see Pedro and the many lives he’s affected There’s Juan’s unfortunate mother who is unceremoniously sent away after she’s served her purpose and her close confidant Eduviges (Dolores Heredia) who’s the first to welcome Juan into the once-thriving village There’s the long-suffering maid Damiana (Mayra Batalla) and the troubled Dorotea (Giovanna Zacarías) whose full story is one of many layered tragedies Then there’s the priest worn down by Pedro’s sins Pedro’s loyal foreman Fulgor (Hector Kotsifakis) the real love of Pedro’s life whose story – like the others – is an unhappy one Although the large cast and time-traveling narrative that unravels at a dizzying speed sometimes gets away from Prieto the world of “Pedro Páramo” is a fantastical one to watch Each story of heartbreak and mystery is cloaked with painstaking period details by the production design teams headed by Eugenio Caballero and Carlos Y who carefully crafts each character by giving them a distinct look while their surroundings give away a timely feel for the bygone period perhaps there is more to Prieto’s vision than meets the eye there may be more creative challenges to take on in his future Monica Castillo is a critic, journalist, programmer, and curator based in New York City. She is the Senior Film Programmer at the Jacob Burns Film Center and a contributor to RogerEbert.com Comala continues at Zoo Southside –Studio until 25 August 2024 The audience was seated and given a sample of the Mexican tequila there was an initial hint of floor polish but an aftertaste which lingered pleasantly until long after the show had ended The audience crowds the set on three sides There are a number of large drums set on the floor… or are they tables The uncertainty is intriguing and a little unsettling A story is to be told; that of Juan Preciado who made a promise to his mother on her deathbed that he would seek revenge on his long-lost father The roles of the various characters in the story are allocated The actor playing Preciado is also to play his father When the play proper starts it is with a sung primal invocation from the very bowels of the earth The songs which punctuate the whole journey are astounding actors switch from narrators to characters at will There is no attempt to differentiate between the different voices Best not to try to work it out: just let yourself be transported by the whole experience and by the time the story ends There is an English translation behind the stage area I was at the side and a lot of head turning had to be done which was okay but I would have preferred not to have had to switch my attention from the stage The show is presented by Something for the Weekend in association with Pulpo Arts , , , , Three tables set up with various props displayed wooden bowls and bottles filled with mescal and water These are the things I noticed as I found my seat the small paper cup with a shot of mescal given upon entry spilling slightly on my hand one that draws on all the senses and built anticipation for what was to come from this adaption of the late Mexican author Juan Rulfo’s novel Pedro Páramo Our cast fill the space in traditionally embroidered modern garments and in operatic style a woman voices her woes towards the corner of the room before a man enters in tenor a premonition for the performance still to come Told in Spanish with English subtitles projected on the well the story moves at a slow pace and weaves multiple interlinking narratives The actors are self-aware as they play many roles in this melodrama about a young man who enters the world of the dead to enact revenge on his father Despite multiple warnings from the ghosts of Comala he is sucked into their world as he reenacts his father’s sins Multiple instruments and modes of song and storytelling are used throughout the performance This is by no means a gentle story but one of full of dark topics and just as dark humour Each member of cast was fully immersed in their roles and excelled at making use of the small space to invoke the feeling of that scene Some of the story may have been lost in translation as a non-Spanish speaker the dialogue complex and interwoven between the past and present but the quality of acting and performance of each cast member continue to linger with me after the performance Read more Fringe Reviews here. Subscribe to read the latest issue of Scottish Field IPSO is an independent body which deals with complaints from the public about the editorial content of newspapers and magazines We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze how you use this website and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you These cookies will only be stored in your browser with your prior consent You can choose to enable or disable some or all of these cookies but disabling some of them may affect your browsing experience Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns SearchReview: Ashley Gavin: My Therapist Is Dying at Pleasance Courtyard - Edinburgh Festival Fringe Theatre TravelsAug 15 Internet-sensation Ashley Gavin begins her set by telling us that this show should feel like therapy and she undergoes a wild ride of emotions throughout her hour onstage Feeling more like a one woman show than a standup set Gavin takes us through her tumultuous journey from childhood to now The death of her father and her mother being a ‘wild cunt’ as well as her 28-year long relationship with her therapist Fred Gavin leaves it all out there on the stage She does carry that American tendency to over-explain the joke feeling the need to analyse a line that the audience loved rather than move on to the next piece of material Gavin reveals that she has always been a perfectionist and has been overanalysing her work since her parents were filming her skits as a child This tendency to dissect the audience reactions as they’re happening does put a significant damper on the laughs As an audience we are constantly being told we’re not laughing enough not giving enough of a reaction or being told the reason we’re not laughing is due to our own personal shortcomings cancer and the relentless homophobia she has experienced from those close to her It is a humbling experience to be given an insight into the inner workings of her mind in these moments and if the huge line to meet her after the show is anything to go by The material is there and she is a captivating storyteller with the show’s shortcomings only coming from her getting in her own way With a long line of sold-out performances in front of her it is certain she will continue to hone her craft and create something truly exceptional and moving Broadway DivaThe Sweet Science of BruisingPast ProductionsMore stories of the living intertwined with the dead the film adaptation of Juan Rulfo's masterpiece presents its first teaser days before its world premiere this September 7 at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) it will be available globally on November 6 The film marks the directorial debut of renowned Mexican cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto Behind the scenes is an internationally recognized team: the screenplay is by Mateo Gil; production design by Eugenio Caballero and Carlos Y Jacques; cinematography by Prieto and Nico Aguilar; costume design by Anna Terrazas; original score by Gustavo Santaolalla; and music supervision by Leonardo Heiblum "Almost 70 years after its publication the novel's impact continues to resonate making it one of the most significant works in Mexican literature Directing this film adaptation has been an exciting challenge and a deeply personal journey that has led me to explore my own connections to the ghosts of previous generations of my family just as Juan Preciado did when he arrived in Comala in search of his father Read more about the film adaptation of Pedro Páramo HERE My father and his six siblings grew up in Comala I spent childhood summers visiting but had returned only once since my parents split in 2010 I recalled Colima mostly in senses: the sweet scent of ripe guava the croak of white-lipped frogs and itch of mosquito bites but I remember her hugs and the way she’d let my brother and I splash in the dish basin in her open-air kitchen grassy courtyard in the heart of her house I was in college when word came that she’d passed I regretted that I’d never really known her and over time I felt myself longing to better understand her world I downloaded the Duolingo app and logged lessons day after day for years building upon several semesters of middle school Spanish other reasons kept me from returning to Colima and I wasn’t sure how his side of the family would receive me My Mexican relatives represented a whole swath of new—very Catholic—people to come out to I messaged my dad’s younger sister Raquel on Facebook I mentioned my girlfriend and did not mention my dad The thought surprised me the first time it occurred as I fastened a hoop earring below my slicked-back bun It dangled above the collar of my oversized white button-down I hadn’t seen Raquel since I was 11, and I couldn’t quite picture her face. But I recognized in the ensemble touches of the casually glamorous style that I envied as a child. And it seems other people see it, too. When I step into Mexican-owned businesses—fruterías, coffee shops—dressed like her people seem to see my white American mother more than my Mexican father They say “Good morning” instead of “Buenos días.” It makes me curious who I really resemble At Raquel’s large, modern house in Colima’s capital city of the same name I finally have a chance to search her face I try not to be frustrated that I can’t yet ask everything I want to know about her childhood the sort of person my grandmother really was and she shows me a picture of her daughter Celeste and a young woman I don’t recognize I realize she paved the way for that unblinking “of course.” Raquel digs out old photo albums, showing me my abuela at 6 or 7, looking solemn in a school photo, then my uncle Reyes, Raquel’s husband, who’d died of Covid. It’s hard with the language barrier, but I can see shades of it: her enormous grief and I realize I’ve lost one of my hoop earrings I search the house and Raquel’s car. I file a report with the airline. But it doesn’t turn up, and I comfort myself with the departed jewelry’s narrative power: a thing symbolizing my link to this place, left behind somewhere in Mexico I ’d love to tell you that Comala hasn’t changed, that, when we visit, I’m able to slip back into the world of my childhood memories. In some ways, I am. There’s still the picturesque town square bordered by little shops hawking local sea salt and fragrant leather huaraches The white-and-yellow chapel where I was baptized stands as proud as ever The people still wave hello to one another in the cobblestone streets cartel activity has increased in recent years Colima now has one of the highest crime rates in Mexico but there’s a newly anxious undercurrent here Spiny weeds have overtaken her once-verdant courtyard I dip my fingers in and remember her lifting me up so I could peer at the water’s surface We didn’t need words for me to know she loved me When I was small, my family and I used to pass entire days at Las Hamacas del Mayor a beachside restaurant in the agricultural region of Tecomán I recognize it the moment we pull up: the giant clamshell at the entrance After lunch, Celeste and I walk down the beach, its sand charcoal-black from the nearby volcano. In the distance, I think I see a rainbow flag. I figure it must mean something different here—after all, a gay bar? In rural Mexico? But as we get close, I spot drag queens dancing on a makeshift stage in Rockette bodysuits We stand and watch for a while. I want to tell Celeste what it means to me to share this with her. Though my mother’s family welcomes my girlfriend during the holidays, I’d always felt the unspoken difference of my queerness My father lives in Comala, but I don’t see him. He remains a casual elephant in the room—I don’t talk about him, and neither does anyone else. Finally, over breakfast on my final day Raquel spends a long time typing something on her phone “How are things with your dad?” the screen reads “We haven’t spoken in years,” I admit in Spanish You come first.” Even after all this time goes unspoken when I hug her tight and promise to come back soon seeking a pair to replace my now-lonely hoop—only to find its errant twin Then I let down my hair and look in the mirror A beautiful green territory dwarfed by neighbors Jalisco and Michoacán Colima has the smallest population in Mexico Once home to a number of pre-colonial civilizations the state is known for charming red pottery figures of round-bellied dogs Two volcanoes—referred to as “fire and ice” because one is active and the other is dormant—perch at Colima’s border and lush rainforests and orchards cover much of its land Colima is Mexico’s primary producer of limes and visitors may see reptile species like crocodiles a garden-flocked hacienda showcasing the artist’s furniture designs and slightly surreal lithographs of children in traditional dress shop for artisan creations and sample local eats in the friendly little town of Comala Amelia Rodriguez is San Diego Magazine’s Associate Editor The winner of the San Diego Press Club's 2023 Rising Star Award and 2024 Best of Show Award and other national and regional publications you can find her hunting down San Diego’s best pastries and maintaining her three-year Duolingo streak By clicking subscribe you're confirming that you agree with our Terms and Conditions Email: [email protected] By clicking Subscribe you’re confirming that you agree with our Terms and Conditions Email: [email protected] © Copyright 2023 San Diego Magazine 1230 Columbia Street To continue reading this article you must be logged in Register or login below to unlock 3 free articles every month Or subscribe from just £7.99 and get unlimited access to thestage.co.uk Invest in The Stage today with a subscription starting at just £7.99 © Copyright The Stage Media Company Limited 2025 is first film adaptation in half a century the great Mexican novel that inspired MárquezThis article is more than 5 months oldNew film of Juan Rulfo’s revered novel Many Mexicans know the first sentence of Juan Rulfo’s revered novel, Pedro Páramo, by heart. This week they will hear it on Netflix, with the release of the first film adaptation in almost 50 years of the text that inspired Gabriel García Márquez to write One Hundred Years of Solitude “This country, where Death is written with a capital letter because it defines us in an inexorable way, at times brutal and at others poetic, has not found a more powerful metaphor than the story of Pedro Páramo,” wrote the Mexican novelist Alma Delia Murillo in an ecstatic review of the new film The story is set in the decades around the Mexican revolution and those first words are uttered by Juan Preciado who has travelled to the town of Comala to fulfil a promise made to his dying mother that he would claim the money owed to him by his father But on his way Preciado encounters a muleteer who tells him Páramo died long ago Páramo turns out to be the muleteer’s father “Rencor vivo,” mutters the muleteer – living bile Dolores Heredia as Eduviges in the Netflix production of Pedro Páramo Photograph: Juan Rosas/NetflixPreciado descends into Comala as if entering an underworld Thereafter the story is narrated not just by Preciado but by a ghostly chorus in a place where the veil between the present and the past Pedro Páramo is barely more than 100 pages long a travelling tyre salesman and an editor at the national agency of Indigenous communities But it was still enough to put him in the pantheon of Mexican literature “I think in Mexico writers are aware you can’t follow in the footsteps of Juan Rulfo,” says Víctor Jiménez For many he is the author of the most important literary work in Mexico And for some he is the most important Mexican author.” “The examination in depth of Juan Rulfo’s work gave me at last the way that I sought to continue my books,” he said The echoes of Pedro Páramo in One Hundred Years of Solitude are clear, from the seared imprints of their opening lines and the themes of political violence and powerful families to the mythical aspect of their isolated towns, Comala and Macondo. Read morePedro Páramo is often billed as the spark that lit Latin America’s magical realism boom of which One Hundred Years of Solitude would become the foremost example But whether the novel really belongs to magical realism is a source of some debate Rulfo himself liked to make wry comments about Pedro Páramo during interviews, saying it needed to be read three times, or that he took so many pages out in the editing that by the end not even he understood it Rulfo was also sceptical that it could ever be translated to film “because of the very complexity of its structure which leaps backwards and forwards in time” None of the previous adaptations, directed by Carlos Velo, José Bolaños and Salvador Sánchez, has satisfied. Jiménez recounts, with a note of horror, how the script for Velo’s film unpicked the novel’s narrative and reordered events chronologically But this is a work that reveals itself in the hands of readers.” Jamaican born author Comala Remogene is currently making preparations to bring her debut novel—Call Her Majesty— to screens through a multi-part series that will be set on the island and in the United States “The book is currently being adapted into a 13-episode series for a major streaming platform The series is in pre-production right now to start filming sometime this year We are in partnership with a few production companies in the United States and Jamaica The director is Johann Dawes from Hype TV (and there is also) the Production Hub Chris Browne and others,” the Florida-based author told Observer Online and owner of Comala’s Boutique located in Florida She got her big break in the television industry as executive producer for Fashion Village Noting that she was encouraged by Dawes to pursue the series based on the book that was officially published in September 2023 Remogene added that the script is also well underway The project will feature familiar faces from the highly successful Bob Marley: One Love biopic “We have six chapters already printed out (and) ready to go We have a few sponsors and over US$50,000 ready and we’re getting the actors ready and the Production Hub and he is getting the actors and actresses from the Bob Marley movie to be in it,” the author who gained her Bachelor’s in Marketing and Communication from the Broward Community College said Call Her Majesty is a thriller that sees the protagonist being conflicted about avenging her parents’ death She then meets another character called Arthur who is a kingpin and they both contend with the ebbs and flows of a risky lifestyle as they mimic a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde With only positive feedback so far for her first book Remogene is encouraging budding professionals to see their dreams through and once you believe it and you put it out first SearchReview: Jin Hao Li: Swimming in a Submarine at Pleasance Courtyard - Edinburgh Festival FringeTheatre TravelsAug 12 All it took was one well-placed Instagram reel shown to me by my boyfriend to know that Jin Hao Li would be a must-see this Edinburgh Fringe Showcasing the impact of social media for comedians his run at the festival is already completely sold out The comedy begins before the show even starts with Jin Hao inviting audience members backstage to ‘see what it looks like’ as they enter the venue He entices those already sitting with the promise of a group selfie and it’s the perfect way to set up an hour of absurdist determined to pay tribute to all those brothers he lost along the way to egg fertilisation The set is constructed around 3 childhood dreams and 3 nightmares with plenty of twists and turns along the way He is a master of wordplay and the delayed punchline with lengthy absurdist anecdotes constructed entirely around a well-timed one-liner This unique structure does waver in the final moments of his set with seemingly unrelated stories not drawing the same laughs as they did in the beginning Jin Hao gazes out at his audience with a childlike innocence lulling us into a truly false sense of security jumping out at unsuspecting audience members much like a spider at an insect rave in the 1920’s We get glimpses into his extraordinary life no-one quite expects him to have served in the military in the same way no-one expects some innocent audience interaction around spoons to lead to a punchline about dropping grenades He creates a truly unique relationship with his audience incorporating everything from physical comedy and visual gags to rap and calling out his tech No stone is left unturned in his pursuit for the perfect hour and in the case of Jin Hao Li SearchReview: The Flock and Moving Cloud at Zoo Southside - Edinburgh Festival Fringe Theatre TravelsAug 16 Scottish Dance Theatre presents a double bill of very different works both in style and atmosphere- “The Flock” choreographed by Roser López Espinosa and “Moving Cloud” choreographed by Sofia Nappi This is a spectacular program and if one was feeling a little jaded and worn out by many so-so offerings at Edinburgh Fringe then this program entirely reinvigorates In both pieces the mere eight dancers have us imagine there are at least twice as many on stage Choreographed by two leading female choreographers this is work that awakens the mind touches your heart “The Flock” takes ideas around bird formations as the dancers form a migratory V on the stage Working in strict formation the work suddenly surprises as pairs start moving slightly out of sequence and then return to the strict unison once more The dancers wear contemporary clothes in shades of grey and blue on a completely white floor and back wall – it’s like a cloud (costume designer Lluna Albert) The eight dancers eventually fall only to begin again in duos and trios in work that is acrobatic with bodies thrown around the stage To end the piece the dancers reform as a group and in an exhilarating end appear to leap from the stage into the darkened wings It was a high to end on after the hypnotic charm that guided the main choreography Original music by Mark Drillich and Ilia Mayer Watching the mechanists strip the stage of the white surrounds is worth staying in the house for They also work with precision and economy and before we know it the stage is a darkened abyss once more “Moving Cloud” literally bursts onto the stage then “Moving Cloud” is a euphoric high intensity study of humanity Apart from the energy it is the initial burst of white costumes that grab my attention (costume designer Alison Brown) All wear something inspired by what I think of as Scottish folk wear and a cross between something more contemporary not every costume is white – there is a mustard shirt As soon as the piece starts something happens to the audience – they are clapping and cheering Clearly this music taps into the DNA of the largely Scottish audience and it’s as if we are all hypnotised TRIP are a Glasgow based outfit and unite the kindred Celtic traditions of Scotland Their trademark sound celebrates the band’s roots in tradition whilst showcasing contemporary cross-genre flare Alongside original music composed by Donald Shaw the final movement in the performance features their own compositions The dancers move as if inspired by the elements or sometimes the gestures are idiosyncratic A masterful program of two very different works SearchReview: Tom Cashman: Everything at Monkey Barrel - Edinburgh Festival FringeTheatre TravelsAug 12 Known Australia-wide for his role in Taskmaster and his appearances on The Project and Question Everything Tom Cashman is a familiar face on our TV screens His TikToks asking landlords for references have gone viral cementing him as a rare comedian who has mastered both social media and in-person standup comedy Tom takes us through all the embarrassing moments of his life (so far) He uses the screen to effectively and hilariously signpost his topics of discussion texts and demonstrate his analytical skills through the use of powerpoint the TV screen in use is positioned slightly too low for an audience in un-raked seats resulting in constant neck craning from those in the back half of the room The occasional joke is missed just because the screen isn’t fully visible to about a third of the audience Enhancing his hilariously embarrassing anecdotes he constantly mixes up the multimedia styles If he’s reading a funny text message he doesn’t just read from the screen instead highlighting specific segments and using a colour-coding system for maximum comic effect Rather than relying on the screen to create comedy Cashman uses it to squeeze every possible laugh out of each established joke His interactions with a fellow Sydney-sider in the audience throughout the show also demonstrate Cashman’s impressive improv abilities He constantly refers back to his newfound front row friend with his opening jokes around ‘raw dogging’ the plane ride from Australia and buying an ineffective doorstop in Edinburgh having already been posted to his TikTok and the jokes haven’t lost their potency the second time around This show is a fun-filled hour of total hilarity with Cashman even making slides about the ‘pay as you feel’ policy at Monkey Barrel Having mastered what seems like every genre of comedy when it comes to Tom Cashman all that’s left to ask is ‘what’s next?’  SearchReview: Sophie Duker: But Daddy I Love Her at Pleasance Courtyard - Edinburgh Festival FringeTheatre TravelsAug 12 and appearances on pretty much every British panel show you can think of and this year her entire run is almost completely sold out The show begins with a whooping Duker running through the audience waving her arms and being her own hype woman The crowd goes wild for the energetic comedian and she does a fantastic job of setting the vibe for her hour in the spotlight This phrase sets the tone of the set as being delightfully millennial in every way The hour is peppered with these cringe phrases so dearly beloved by millennials online making the audience laugh and groan simultaneously Focusing on Duker’s self-confessed daddy issues the show is loosely centered around her problematic relationship with her absent father Impressively convincing him to do therapy with her she walks us through her experiences dealing with separated parents who both have their… quirks she asks for a volunteer from the small number of men who have come to see her by themselves an American who completely steals the show hilarious jokes and an impressive singing voice Dubbing him ‘daddy Jim’ and referring to him as such throughout the night with Duker picking specific people in the front row and constantly calling for responses and suggestions from her audience This includes riskily asking for accent requests for her to attempt and at one point bizarrely asking the crowd to yell out compliments At one point after telling us about her interaction with a fake sugar daddy online Duker breaks into a version of ‘the candy man’ It’s not clear why a self-aware comedian who is not vocally gifted would choose to insert a song but thankfully it’s the only musical addition to the show It’s an hour of high-energy comedy and will especially appeal to anyone who identifies as ‘delulu’ Send help right to the people and causes you care about Your donation is protected by the GoFundMe Giving Guarantee Recently released on Netflix, “Pedro Páramo” is the fourth onscreen reimagining of Juan Rulfo’s classic 1955 novel of the same name This sharp new adaptation is directed by Rodrigo Prieto the enigmatic and brilliant 58-year-old responsible for the cinematography of films including “Silence,” “Barbie,” “The Wolf of Wall Street,” “Amores Perros” and “Brokeback Mountain.”  The film presents the pilgrimage of Juan Preciado, played by Tenoch Huerta a grieving man who travels to the remote village of Comala in search of a father he never knew played by Manuel García-Rulfo of “The Lincoln Lawyer.” However It is no exaggeration to say that Juan Rulfo’s novel changed the course of Latin American literature novelists and critics from various around the world agree in describing Juan Rulfo’s short book as one of the greatest works of literature ever written the novel has been translated into more than 45 languages For the uninitiated, Rulfo’s novel is a deeply fragmented and surrealistic rural tale that throws away the boundaries between the living and the dead. Set in the context of the Mexican Revolution and the Cristero War the plot is essentially composed of two constantly meandering narrative threads who heads to Comala to fulfill the promise he made to his recently deceased mother: to search for his father the heinous boss of the Media Luna hacienda at the very mouth of Hell,” and several spectral villagers help him reconstruct his unsuspected and lurid family history The second plot focuses on Pedro’s life his adolescence as a failed scion and his rise to power as a feudal lord The father of countless illegitimate children we learn that Pedro is an unscrupulous tyrant driven by overwhelming evil It seems that his only weakness is his first and only love the “living resentment,” is the man who had everything and ended up with everything and everyone out of sheer viciousness As the ghosts of Comala guide Juan Preciado between the present and the past The Jalisco-born Rulfo is not one of the easiest writers to adapt to the big screen, and even less so in the case of a fragmented and elusive work like “Pedro Páramo.” However, Rodrigo Prieto, four-time Oscar nominee for best cinematography, and his screenwriter Mateo Gil present a generally faithful look at the lord of Comala Although Gil’s adapted screenplay sometimes feels dizzyingly condensed the new film manages to retain the core elements of the source material and translate Rulfo’s singular narrative structure to the screen the story interweaves the present of the deceased and the past of the living in an unsettling way Both times slide side by side and intertwine without room for loss From flying animals to black and white images of a woman surrendered to the sea Netflix’s “Pedro Páramo” is an ingenious display of magical realism for its dazzling cinematography by Nico Aguilar formidable production design by Eugenio Caballero and Carlos Y and inspired musical score by Gustavo Santaolalla Prieto and his team construct impressive filmic spaces that aptly capture the aesthetic emotional climate and rhythm of the different epochs through which Comala passes full of grieving souls and decomposing bodies and simultaneously find a Comala brimming with life As the narration explains the Comala that once was we understand its decline and the tragedy it represents As always with the adaptation of an iconic literary work But Rodrigo Prieto understands the monumentality of Rulfo’s work and his debut feature does justice to the Mexican classic Prieto’s “Pedro Páramo” is the most convincing film version of the novel to date ADVERTISE WITH MND COMMUNITY GUIDELINES Subscription FAQ's Privacy Policy Mexico News Daily - Property of Tavana LLC It is an anxiety born of growing up in one the stray dogs snoozing in the shadows of buildings it sets my internal panic button to wailing and I immediately get the urge to bolt So the whitewashed streets of tiny Comala had the usual effect on me driving in I immediately started to squirm in my seat It was 9:00am when I arrived off an early-morning flight from Mexico City The tamal vendor had just set up on one side of the town’s main square and the most fervent activity (well four people) was happening at Hugo’s taco stand directly to the left of the Comala church I figured food was the best antidote to tamp down the growing anxiety and ordered myself a few of Hugo’s northern-style tacos With the first bite I felt my shoulders release was virtually unknown until the 1960s when Mexican writer Juan Rulfo published his slim novella Pedro Páramo In the book Rulfo’s main character goes to Comala in search of “one Pedro Páramo” who at one time was the town’s own version of the godfather with dozens of women and illegitimate children scattered across the country haunted by the memories of the people who once lived there whispering voices in every breeze that blows across the plaza Most literary critics agree that the town Rulfo describes in the book more closely resembles his hometown in southern Jalisco state but Comala got the fame instead and became a part of the literary pilgrimage for the Rulfo-obsessed This equaled a slight uptick in tourism but it wasn’t until 2002 when the town was named a Pueblo Mágico by the Mexican government that Comala saw its economy dramatically improve This designation is given to towns of historical significance or those that have retained much of their colonial ambiance One hundred and fifty new businesses have been created since that year, according to Júpiter Rivera, owner of both Casa Alvarada, one of the town’s only hotels, and the Admire México tour company While residents of Comala fiercely defend the hustle and bustle of their town as “nothing like the ghost town described in the book,” if you are familiar at all with small Mexican towns you will clearly notice the similarities Comala is the kind of place where the early evening finds residents backlit by a single burning bulb in the living room sitting streetside waiting for a breeze to break the day’s heat It’s a place where the school marching band sets up to play in the plaza and the whole town shows up to listen It was carved out of semi-tropical vegetation so that blazing sunlit streets end in wild patches of foliage and the earthy deliciousness of rotting leaves rises to meet your nostrils during midnight storms Growing up in a small town also makes you nostalgic for them I found that after 24 hours in Comala my soul started to settle back in to my body and my breathing began to match the rhythm of the town clocktower The most pleasant things to do in this quaint colonial town are probably the least ambitious – sit on the plaza at one of Comala’s classic botanero restaurants where for the price of a few beers you will be served rotating plates of Mexican snacks (botanas) for hours Or follow your nose to one of the town’s renowned bakeries (La Mejor and La Guadalupana are both good choices near the center of town) for some incredible fresh-out-of-the-oven wheat buns Comala is known for its bread and coffee but has surprisingly few coffee shops (there are lots of places to buy a bag to go) so skip the coffee and try one of the more adventurous local drinks – tuba or tejuino Tejuino is made from fermented corn and served over ice with lime and salt Its flavor is tangy and toasted at the same time and vendors on the plaza sell both drinks for about 50 cents a cup The first day I couldn’t be bothered to sit still and enjoy the ambiance and needed an activity So I headed 15 minutes outside of town to visit the former home of Colima’s most famous artist The Hacienda Nogueras has been painstakingly preserved by the University of Colima the hacienda was one of the most important sugar plantations in the region and its grand crumbling smoke stack can still be seen poking its head up behind the façade The hacienda would eventually land in the hands of Alejandro Hidalgo’s family and he made his home there until his death in 2000 Hidalgo gathered up an extensive collection of regional indigenous pottery during his lifetime and that along with his ethereal paintings and the former furnishings of his home are all on display at the museum housed there now The entrance fee is about US $3 and there is a gift shop that sells prints of Hidalgo’s work There’s also a small ecopark in the back on one section of the hacienda with a mini bamboo forest and several tiny turtle sanctuaries While Pedro Páramo may have given the town its fame Comala shows up in the news every few years for another reason: it sits directly below the aptly named Volcán de Fuego known in English as the Fire Volcano or the Colima Volcano “There are 2,000 volcanos in Mexico and of those only 26 that are considered active,” Júpiter Rivera told me during my stay only 14 are monitored constantly and of those 14 our volcano is the most active of all.” Scientists believe that 75,000 years ago one of the volcano’s massive eruptions brought the volcanic rock downstream that led to Manzanillo beaches having black sand In 2017 a massive explosion blew the top off the volcano and spewed ash four kilometers above the volcano’s peak While you would think that the close proximity to certain death would scare the locals off every local seems to have a photo of one of the volcano’s eruptions proudly displayed somewhere in their home A handful of small towns dot the base of the volcano a bastion of high-altitude coffee production that results in some of the country’s best beans Rivera takes visitors on a coffee tour through the town of Yerbabuena were visitors not only get to meet the producers and taste the final product but they can also visit the shade-grown coffee fields that are often covered with a fine layer of ash that must be removed before picking The Fire Volcano’s intense activity keeps hikers from its peak gets plenty of climbers cresting its now-dormant crater In addition to the gorgeous natural landscape there is an incredible view from the top of the Fire Volcano about 1,000 meters shorter and just nine kilometers away Experienced hikers can do it on their own by driving up to the La Joya educational center and hiking from there but there are also plenty of local tour operators the run groups up and down the mountain Laguna La María is a popular weekend campground that during the week is virtually empty —ripe for early-morning birdwatching hiking and rowing out onto the lagoon in one of the kayaks rented by the park If all of that sounds a little too adventurous just go over to the nearby Cervecería de Colima one of the country’s up-and-coming breweries They have an outdoor beer garden with some of the best food I ate on my trip – inventive versions of classic regional dishes like ceviche and grilled bean tacos easily provides another full day of exploring It has some fine local markets where you can get a taste of regional dishes like birria and tatemado will have you happily sweating in the Colima heat The city’s pleasant central plaza is often the site of impromptu music and dancing as well as outdoor theater performances and the rooftop bar of the Hotel Ceballos (right on the main square) is known for having an incredible view of the plaza and a mellow Another absolute must are the countryside restaurants near the Capacha neighborhood On weekend mornings they offer massive buffets of regional dishes for about $7 I personally recommend the restaurant El Trapiche I had to roll myself out after the two hours I spent there The fried gorditas with jocoque and Colima’s fresh cheese are about as close to heaven on earth as food can get Make sure you pre-arrange a ride back to Comala if you are going by cab since few pass by the restaurants regularly While Comala is not a place romanticized as one of Mexico’s great vacation destinations this anxiety-ridden former small townie was completely won over by its charm especially on the simpler side of pleasure — sitting crowds and constant action you might want to skip it Lydia Carey is a freelance writer based in Mexico City CORRECTION: There was nothing anecdotal about the food the writer ate upon arrival as was suggested in an earlier version of this story SearchReview: Swan Song at Greenside@Infirmary St – Ed FringeTheatre TravelsAug 9 The first line of ‘Swan Song’s listing on the Fringe website is “A one-woman show – with two women.” This was enough to grab my attention and head along to their show on Sunday evening and I’m SO glad I did as it was an absolute hoot The show stars Fiona Collinson and Jo Brodecki who each have dreams of putting on their own show-stopping transfer-enticing one-woman show at the Edinburgh Fringe they’ve both booked the exact same venue and time for their show and have no choice but to share the time and attempt to mash the shows together The most genius thing about ‘Swan Song’ is that both of these one-woman shows are practically polar opposites they give each performer so many fantastic opportunities to bounce off each other and display their wide breadth of talents (including some impressive fight choreography and more prop work than you’d imagine before seeing it for yourself) Fleabag-inspired show about a single woman in her 30s who has moved to the big city and dreams of finding love we take a journey through Fiona’s past love(s) of her life and get an insight into life as an actress auditioning in LA and New York Jo has dreams of making it on Saturday Night Live and her show takes a more traditional stand-up approach as she charts her journey from Christian summer camp to college and eventually losing her virginity in her 20s each actress plays characters in the others’ story and it’s lightning fast and super funny to watch The show eventually devolves into a fair bit of chaos with one audience member next to me chuckling after the curtain call about how much clean-up of props they’d need to do at the end of each show – these props had a hilarious chaotic effect Both performers are captivating and bring plenty of enjoyable energy to the performance space I particularly enjoyed both of their moments of physical comedy which were hilarious and very well choreographed but it’s well worth buying a ticket to see it for yourself It’s a sensationally strong Fringe debut from these two talented performers who have tons of chemistry and are really fun to watch in this fantastic show SearchReview: Caroline Rhea: I Identify as a Witch at Gilded Balloon Teviot - Ed FringeTheatre TravelsAug 18 you have to know ‘Sabrina the Teenage Witch.’ If you were me growing up in the 90s you watched every episode (of both the live and animated series) So if you have the opportunity to see Aunt Helda perform a stand up show at the Edinburgh Fringe you go…Caroline Rhea’s ‘I Identify as a Witch’ is a fantastic laugh out loud hour of extremely relatable content and great laugh after laugh Rhea has been performing on the circuit for over 30 years and her experience on stage shows as she offers the most natural and personable hour I’ve seen thus far at the fringe The experience starts pre-show as Rhea makes her way up and down the line of people heading into her packed theatre making everyone’s Sabrina dreams come true By the time you take your seat and Rhea energetically jumps on to stage amidst an enthusiastic crowd sing a long of Sweet Caroline ‘BA BA BA,’ you feel like you know her and are completely invested in her success and hooked on each word If you’re a comedian looking to improve your crowd work skills I cannot recommend getting a ticket to this show enough as a masterclass in this important comedic skill Rhea works the room expertly and without mocking or teasing anyone in the audience includes so many of us in the crowd that we feel a part of the show we have much to discuss in this room - a malfunctioning air con unit horoscopes and lots of Garys to cover as well Don’t come expecting much Sabrina content (despite the title of the show) there’s much more to Rhea’s life and her retelling of her experiences with her daughter partners and through her every day life are hilarious and evidently relatable to many in the audience I will be surprised to come across as professional a comedy hour as this through the rest of the fringe - so so glad I managed to catch this show on one of Rhea’s three nights at the fringe SearchReview: Geraldine Hickey: Of Course We’ve Got Horses at Assembly George Square - Ed Fringe Theatre TravelsAug 7 As the audience files in I’m surprised to see the size of venue Geraldine Hickey is big name in Australia but at the Edinburgh Fringe this year she’s performing in The Box It’s a tiny popup space and I feel very privileged to see such a seasoned comedian in such an intimate venue Hickey opens the show sporting a backpack and goes to make a witty opening remark when there are some fumbles with tech Fortunately this opening scuffle does not represent the rest of the show We hear all about Hickey and her wife’s lockdown hobbies do a deep dive into the conservation of Orange Bellied Parrots and hear a play by play of Hickey’s beach house wedding conversational style and has everyone feeling like we’re a bunch of girlfriends out to lunch at the pub As a fellow Victorian I found the many place references relatable and engaging but some of which may have briefly alienated foreign audiences who haven’t visited Australia Hickey utilises consistent audience interaction something which can be tricky in such a small space with a perfect mix of prepared material and off the cuff witticisms there are no cringe moments or controversial takes This is an hour of wholesome comedy and if you love reality TV animals and weddings this is the perfect night out at the fringe My personality is a Venn diagram of all three of these topics making this show feel like it was specifically curated for me this performance will have a wide appeal for anyone who just wants to switch their brain off and have a laugh At the end of the show Hickey’s tech has another hiccup she has created such a delightful and supportive room during her time onstage that the audience begins singing and clapping the song themselves Hickey does not require functioning tech to create a fabulous show and Of Course We’ve Got Horses is a great way to spend an hour You might even cop a handshake from Hickey herself if you sit in the front row SearchReview: Weather Girl at Summerhall - Edinburgh Festival FringeTheatre TravelsAug 18 US writer Brian Watkins’ play “Weather Girl “is set in a wildfire-ravaged central California The story follows Stacey (Julia McDermott) a bright and bubbly weather presenter who is a hot mess; literally and metaphorically Working for a local news network she’s using her weather girl stint as a stepping stone to something greater if it ever comes insists that she make the endless hot days sound great to her viewers As wildfires take hold of the landscape and grow ever more intense and deadly he insists Stacey not tell the viewers to evacuate lest they be upset Stacey basically hates everything that she does and is becoming unhinged She is perpetually drinking Prosecco from an innocent looking plastic drink cup and is generally feeling overwhelmed and strung out from the moment she wakes at 4am She dates a random Techbro whose name she never catches and ends up crashing his car Then there is her mother - a homeless woman she has had little to do with – but is now drawn to after discovering they may have shared mystical powers The mother daughter part of the story isn’t particularly well developed It serves to provide Stacey with the chance to look at what is behind the pretence and surface of her world But it connects Stacey to a bigger truth and the plays dramatizes the importance of individuals and our collective society to tackle climate change as one The play does rather underline this theme - and I guess it is a theme worth underlining - but it’s a turn off when you feel a playwright doesn’t trust you to “get it” The set and lighting design are beautiful creating a TV Studio as well as other locations: an array of microphones The actor playing Stacey is amplified via a body mic and there are the other microphones Some are at heights and Stacey reaches up to speak into some – making her slightly off kilter and that news is filtered – we hardly ever get the “facts” But then again – urgent themes – as we are kept reminded As a cautionary tale about our degrading climate But its wit and as a vehicle for the right actor it is a smart piece of work “Weather Girl” is proving to be a festival darling and will no doubt have a much larger run elsewhere SearchReview: Foxdog Studios: Robo Bingo at Underbelly Cowgate – Ed FringeTheatre TravelsAug 11 It almost feels like an impossible task to review Foxdog Studios’ Robo Bingo show – if these next few paragraphs feel like ‘you had to be there’ I’d highly recommend snapping up a ticket and experiencing this wild ride of a show for yourself As we were ushered into the basement-like room at Underbelly Cowgate we were told to get out our phones and log on to participate in the next hour of ‘Robo Bingo’ Robo because the two performers had built their own robot which looked a bit like a paper-mache blowfish on wheels have set up a very sophisticated IT program where players from the audience can log in our names would appear on the screen and we’d be given instructions of what to do and how to control things on the stage or screen – at one point audience members were in control of the robot’s movements which could have ended disastrously but was thankfully a hilarious success The brilliance of this show is in Lloyd and Pete’s sarcastic humour and deadpan delivery no matter how much the audience goaded them or how ridiculous the games got This was a laugh-out-loud show and one I’d highly recommend grabbing a few mates and heading along to see and don’t worry too much about where you’re sitting – everyone is part of the action the whole way through SearchReview: The Importance of Being…Earnest? At Pleasance Courtyard – Ed FringeTheatre TravelsAug 17 As we were ushered in to the spacious Pleasance Beyond theatre we were treated to views of a gorgeously designed set Little did we know that in just under an hour’s time performing as actors in Act III of ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ this production is a wild ride from start to finish until the ‘actor’ playing Ernest fails to arrive on cue It was at that point that the show’s ‘director’ had to choose someone from the crowd to take on the role for the rest of the performance The man chosen during our performance had a beaming smile and a great sense of humour so it was a real joy to watch him confusingly react to things going on around him it became time for more audience members to get involved in a manner of ways – two women were pulled up to ‘audition’ for a role and another person was chosen after the audience were asked ‘who can play the piano A stunning rendition of ‘Let It Go’ from Frozen shortly followed and never broke character no matter how ridiculous some of the participating audience members’ performances became Big props to all of them for keeping what could otherwise become quite a chaotic show nice and tight I particularly enjoyed the way they worked as an ensemble and kept the pace lightning-fast to ensure we all felt like we were part of the action on the way The way the show involved another Fringe performer was also really lovely and supportive – without spoiling too much at every show of theirs this Fringe season they invite another performer to play a small role at the end of the show at-times ridiculous show that must be seen to be believed – don’t miss out on tickets even if you don’t get up on stage and join SearchReview: Six Chick Flicks…at Underbelly Bristo Square – Ed FringeTheatre TravelsAug 14 If you’re looking for a delightfully chaotic and hilarious hour of Fringe fun this season don’t miss this show (yes I’m going to give you the full title) ‘Six Chick Flicks…Or a Legally Blonde Pretty Woman Dirty Danced on the Beaches While Writing a Notebook on the Titanic’ The show started with a bang as the two talented performers The jokes were whip-smart and super accurate analysing the film in a modern feminist light to the delight of the audience wherein a woman’s entire perspective changes based on how she is viewed by a man – they also proceeded to shout out the many cis male directors who have created the chick flicks we know and love Each film recap gets to the point and gives enough of a deep dive so die-hard fans won’t be disappointed and the pair include a few niche facts and references that meant we all walked away learning something new (the originally pitched title for ‘Pretty Woman’ will blow your mind They barrelled through recaps of other iconic films ‘The Notebook’ and ‘Dirty Dancing’ – the finale dance number is worth the price of admission alone This show was such a joyful celebration of chick flicks and films we all know and love and it was clear the entire audience had a great time throughout As I sat in the back row (it was a full house!) I was super impressed by the performers’ projection as they did the whole show without mics and I didn’t miss a word – true professionals won’t be over when this Fringe season ends and I’m sure audiences all over the world will get a kick out of their unique comedy and hilarious insights the format means they could throw in more and more films as the years go on Congratulations to this fantastically entertaining pair on a great show SearchReview: Simon David: Dead Dad Show at Underbelly Bristo Square – Ed FringeTheatre TravelsAug 11 I don’t think I’ve ever laughed harder than I did at ‘Simon David: Dead Dad Show’ last night Held in a cosy demountable in Bristo Square and whip-smart jokes that will catch you off guard in the best way possible The show starts with Simon’s rendition of a song about how he wears a skirt and is desperate to pander in whatever ways he can we dive into several sequences all designed to cleverly spin-off performance styles we’re all familiar with including a dramatic play set in New York City in the 1980s and a hilarious physical theatre piece about a cheese sandwich is that Simon lost his dad in 2018 and wants to make him proud the audience are treated to a recording of Simon’s dad who speaks candidly about his cancer diagnosis and worries about the future This comes straight after one of the most bizarre and hilarious sequences in the show (which I won’t spoil here) and the juxtaposition of these moments really sums up the show – it’s a high concept which will leave you with some incredibly poignant moments There’s no denying Simon is an absolute star He is incredibly witty and a captivating storyteller His parody segments were so accurate and astute which clearly paid off as the audience absolutely loved each one which is incredibly slick and doesn’t waste a moment This show feels like a beautiful love letter to Simon’s dad the audience hear stories about his impact on Simon and the rest of his family and adds a lot of depth to this otherwise light performance make sure you follow him on Instagram at @simongayvid for some of the funniest content you’ll have in your feed SearchReview: Marcus Brigstocke: Cheese and Whine at Pleasance Courtyard – Ed FringeTheatre TravelsAug 14 It’s clear comedian Marcus Brigstocke has a following of die-hard fans – as we were ushered in for Friday night’s sold-out performance of his latest show ‘Cheese and Whine’ there was a palpable excitement in the room where audience members were prompted to write down some of their ‘whines’ on a piece of paper which he collected Marcus would pick a whine out of a large wine class (clever) chat to the person that wrote it to get a bit of context He had about 10 to 12 cheeses laid out on a serving board next to him onstage which ranged from Brie to blue and plenty of other varieties he spoke to us about his experience as a cheese judge and a bit about his recommendations for local Scottish cheeses It’s clear Marcus is a master at crowdwork Every person he spoke with seemed to be completely at ease chatting with him getting teased a fair bit for the nature of their question (which was very funny to observe for all involved) Some examples of whines on the night I attended included “I’m worried I’m going bald” “KFC has reduced the sizes of their burgers” and “Male engineers” and Marcus would deliver a sample of the cheese to the person’s seat so we could all watch their reaction as they tried it and described its flavours This was a really fun and interactive night of comedy Come prepared with a few whines of your own – who knows yours might be read out and you could have the chance to try some delicious cheeses Sandwiched between Jalisco and Michoacán on the Pacific coast Colima is one of the smallest states in Mexico The semicircle-shaped region is about the size of Delaware and boasts 100 miles of coastline has grown this past decade alongside its glitzy northern neighbor Puerta Vallarta virtually unknown—though it probably won’t be that way for long Part of Colima’s appeal is that it’s so compact—the city and the beach are all within an hour’s radius But the city is merely an urban speck on the raw and rugged landscape Drive just a few miles and you’re among fields punctuated by two massive volcanoes rising above historic villages and you’re at one of the region’s best surf spots Famous local painter Alejandro Rangel Hidalgo found inspiration in Colima and his estate is now a museum in the town of Comala Come along as we explore more of what Colima has to offer Sean Farley, World Champion Kitesurfer and owner of the adventure tour company Elevate in Colima, describes his hometown as the “poor man’s Hawaii.” Of course, Colima is not an island—nor could one confuse Mexican and Polynesian cultures—but Farley makes a good point: Like Hawaii and an abundant coastline that offers plenty of fishing and whale watching it was destroyed (but safety evacuated) during the 2005 eruption The relocated town was evacuated again during an eruption in 2016 and it remains fully intact and safe to visit today and museum—occupies an entire block in the Nogueras neighborhood in Comala The estate showcases his living quarters and gardens his collection of traditional Colima ceramics is known for its traditional ceremonial masks life in Colima revolves around the abundant parks and squares throughout the city and cafés; Piedra Lisa Park is named for a large stone that was thrown there by the Colima Volcano thousands of years ago The sparsely developed southern coast of Colima is only 35 miles from the city of Colima. Surf haven Boca de Pascuales is known internationally for its booming barrels; beginners can take lessons at less aggressive breaks with Surfing Pascuales whale-watching and fishing tours run out of Manzanillo known as the “sailfish capital of the world” and also home to myriad beaches local life revolves around the town square supporting another modern trend: craft beer in Mexico is available at restaurants and stores around the city but it’s worth visiting the outdoor tap room for the selection of draft beers and its rooms feature paintings by Alejandro Rangel Hidalgo and historic charm make it the place to stay in the city While Manzanillo is becoming increasingly popular with cruise lines Colima has miles of coastline with secluded beaches >>Next: The Mexican Obsession With Guinness World Records AFAR participates in affiliate marketing programs which means we may earn a commission if you purchase an item featured on our site.© 2025 AFAR LLC SearchReview: The Cambridge Footlights International Tour Show at Pleasance Done KingDome - Ed FringeTheatre TravelsAug 14 The Cambridge Footlights are famous worldwide Renowned for nurturing dozens if not hundreds of comedians alumni of this group include the likes of Hugh Laurie this collective is a place to nurture hilarious characters try out funny scenarios and train the comedy muscles The current iteration of the Footlights is a touring crew having been to venues in England and who will be heading to the US after their run at Edinburgh Fringe it is clear the reputation of the Footlights precedes them A group of five young comedians dressed in navy overalls the show begins with an energetic dance sequence We are immediately introduced to the premise of the show that this group of five desperately want to become six They are looking for their sixth member and will choose one lucky person from the audience This notion is used as a through line between the unrelated sketches The audience are treated to skit after skit but rather than smoothly segueing from one sketch to another the show has music and lighting transitions between With some of the skits being literally one-liners often the transition music is longer than the act itself with the audience initially clapping each bit but eventually deciding there are just too many transitions to keep it up The longer sketches are where this group really shines as they are able to successfully set up a premise where they can create their comedy A couple of musical sequences are the highlight of the show as their length allows the audience to really settle in for a good laugh with each member playing to their strengths and complementing the other performers Jemima Langdon is a standout with her charismatic and assured performance with her ironic asides and audience interaction adding some dimension to the show If you’ve heard of The Cambridge Footlights and always wanted to know what it was all about A lively hour of sketch from what could easily be the next generation of great comic performers Netflix's new movie Pedro Páramo puts the spotlight on a small town in Mexico known as Comala making some wonder if the movie locale is a real place who promises his dying mother to find his father in the Mexican countryside only to find he is living in a literal ghost town (a city occupied exclusively by spectral beings) Much of Netflix's Pedro Páramo takes place in a Mexican township known as Comala This town in the Mexico countryside serves as the movie's primary setting being the (for lack of a better term) ghost town where the story's main character finds himself The movie centers on a young man named Juan Páramo who happens up Comala after telling his mother while on her deathbed that he would look for his long-lost father the big twist comes as Pedro discovers Comala is occupied only by the ghosts of its dead residents with him being the only living being found within its bounds In his time venturing up and down Comala's streets it is revealed to him that his father was a big part of the ghostly community being central to just about everyone's story he meets (for better or for worse) For those wondering if Pedro Páramo's Comala is a real place or was created just for this generation-hopping story it will be reassuring to find out that it is it does not seem that the film used the real town to film the Comala sequences for the movie it seems as though the movie was shot in various locations throughout the Central American country According to reporting from Netflix the movie was shot in the states of Nayarit Director Rodrigo Prieto told the streamer on its official blog and the Media Luna," which is why the movie opted to shoot where it did: which is a very important place in the book." Comala can be found in the state of Colima about six miles north of the state capital hosting a meager population of just over 50,000 people and has been nicknamed the "White Village of America" because of its iconic white facades seen in its historic town center Copyright © 2025 The Direct Media Group LLC Rodrigo Prieto is an acclaimed cinematographer known for his frequent collaborations with Alejandro González Iñárritu and Martin Scorsese he was nominated for an Oscar for his work on Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Now he has returned with his directorial debut “Pedro Paramo,” which is now streaming on Netflix The film is based on Juan Rulfo’s novel of the same name It is a magic realist fable mapping the life of the titular character mainly through the eyes of his son Prieto presents multiple fantastical scenes that feel wonderfully mystical on their own they do not form anything remotely coherent here’s me trying to make sense of its confusion “Pedro Paramo” on Netflix follows Juan Preciado traveling to Comala to honor his mother’s last wish to meet his estranged father his journey leads him in strange directions that make him question the nature of his reality “Pedro Paramo” follows Juan Preciado (Tenoch Huerta) a man who visits the small desolate town of Comala to fulfill his mother’s dying wish to meet his father he crosses paths with Abundio Martinez (Noe Hernandez) a local who reveals that he is also Pedro’s son and has killed Pedro He finds Juan’s journey futile since Comala is a forlorn town and Pedro is dead he tells Juan to look for help from Eduviges Dyada (Dolores Heredia) he finds Dyada’s old house and steps in to find a place to rest for the night Dyada claims that Juan’s mother had told her about his arrival Juan finds it strange given that his mother is dead The girl he loved was forced to leave Comala with her father knows the turmoil she faced in their marriage he acknowledged only Miguel (Santiago Colores) who died after his heartbreak from a woman After talking about the circumstances surrounding Miguel’s death Juan meets Damiana Cisernos (Mayra Batalla) As she recounts the scenarios from Pedro’s life Juan starts realizing that he is surrounded by the spirits of the past Comala inhabitants who abandoned the town tired from Pedro’s torture Pedro was the landowner of Media Luna and his family controlled most of the matters in their town He married Juan’s mother since his family owed her family a huge sum Pedro left Doloritas at her sister’s place and abandoned her and Juan Pedro exploited anyone and everyone he deemed powerless He was also on the lookout for the man responsible for his father’s death Juan sees a vision where Pedro and his cronies beat the man who likely killed the old man a pair of siblings catch up to him and bring him to his senses Juan assumes they are a married couple but the woman clears his doubts Juan finds his way out of her house turned almost entirely into mud This happens because the siblings were in an incestuous relationship and Juan was the only stranger that the woman had slept with Pedro was an evil man who used his position of power to molest and rape women likely due to their similar crooked mentality Miguel also exploited women without any remorse and maintained his sense of control Pedro continued his reign by tricking others to serve him When the rebels joined forces against him during a cultural revolution he claimed to help their movement with the required money and manpower Pedro showed his true colors by giving them nothing and resuming his command over the town exploitative system that allowed him to be cruel without consequences Despite her father’s refusal who himself had a problematic relationship with her she never loved him and saw this marriage as a betrayal of her devotion to her late husband The guilt ate her up from inside leading to her eventual passing Juan Preciado was introduced to Comala by Abundio Martinez one of Pedro Paramo’s sons who killed him It soured Juan’s perception of his father and the town his mother spoke about He steps into this town to realize that all he is meeting are ghosts since the people abandoned the town because of Pedro’s self-centered After gaining back control over the land from the revolutionaries who killed his father’s right-hand man Pedro lost the hope of leading a life with the love of his life he abandoned the people he was in control of the townsfolk left Comala for the greener pastures and stayed behind as miserable spirits At the end of “Pedro Paramo,” we learn about Pedro Paramo’s fate as Juan walks around the town as a ghost Pedro lived a long life to be confronted with consequences for his actions only in the later part of his life When Abundio met Pedro to seek help to bury his wife Pedro did not even realize Abundio was his son their spirit stayed behind including Abdundio’s who was ignored just as Pedro’s other children An applied arts graduate who loves to share his obsession with cinema and television Loves listening to music and exploring new artists Still not over the second season of The Bear and the last scene of Another Round Designed by Two Words This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page A lot of odd choices went into Rodrigo Prieto’s directorial debut Pedro Paramo being the kind of film that you won’t be able to make up your mind about long after the credits roll Adapting Juan Rulfo’s 1955 novel of the same name was never supposed to be an easy job considering the dizzyingly nonlinear narrative that’s made all the more disorienting by its magic realism backdrop And I’m afraid that the cinematographer-turned-director has made it come off frustratingly incoherent in order to communicate a significant theme of the film it’s meant to make you feel this woozy But I’m not sure how the logical justification helps the impression it’s made on you I probably wouldn’t have even tried to understand the point Prieto was trying to make with Pedro Paramo So let’s see if I can untangle this seemingly impossible mess of narratives for you.  Juan Preciado didn’t mean to keep the promise he made to his mother on her deathbed He didn’t mean to go to her hometown of Comala and compel his father Pedro Paramo to make up for all the years he’d spent not taking care of them But some dreams he saw told Juan to go to the town in rural Mexico which his mother remembered as a beautiful place All Juan finds when he arrives are ruins and gloom Juan doesn’t know anything about his father Pedro this man that he meets before he walks into the town a man defined by the resentment that made up almost the entirety of his personality Even Abundio is the product of one of Pedro’s sexual escapades Learning such awful things about his father couldn’t have made Juan too excited about going into Comala and finding Dona Eduviges the only woman alive in the town that’s been abandoned by everyone Comala’s supernatural aura first makes itself known through Eduviges who was best friends with Juan’s mother Doloritas She claims to have heard the late Doloritas telling her about her son’s arrival in town But the supernatural element in Pedro Paramo isn’t as simple as Eduviges being able to communicate with the dead Eduviges even hears the ghostly clops of the horse that Miguel used to ride Miguel was the only son that Pedro Paramo ever really was a father to Miguel and Pedro were a lot alike in their reckless ways The ghost of Miguel’s horse still runs through Comala looking for his master who died in an accident while riding him When Eduviges gets lost within herself telling Juan the story of the town and his family and disappears The first time Juan hears the echo of death that’s consumed Comala is when he hears the screams of a man another friend of Juan’s mother who held him when he was a wee thing and saw how Pedro abandoned Doloritas and Juan and sent them off to Doloritas’ sister As Damiana walks Juan through the town that’s practically a purgatory for all the souls that have been trapped there by their miseries she drops anecdotes from the past and lets Juan in on a lot of awful things about Pedro the person responsible for the death of the man whose cries Juan heard upstairs in Eduviges’ tavern But while Damiana’s seen a lot and knows a lot it seems like she forgets that she isn’t alive That’s the only thing that explains her knowing about Juan’s arrival and also the way she disappears at the turn of a lane.  a teen Pedro seems like a regular kid who finds work charmless so Pedro could’ve turned out good or bad But life had to take away the only person who brought joy into his life A heavy-hearted Pedro lost the only thing that lit up his life and he hardened even further when his father was murdered by someone Pedro’s family was never good with money But Pedro’s strong hatred for the town and everyone in it made him a natural at exploiting people When he was in debt that he had neither the means nor any wish to pay back he chose to play dirty to keep his grasp strong on Media Luna No one ever dared question Pedro’s nefarious ways of asserting control how proud Fulgor was to see Pedro turn into a monster says a lot about what sort of a man Pedro’s father was Fulgor was his father’s right-hand-man Fulgor’s glee over all the terrible things Pedro was planning to do to maintain his position of power in the town can only mean that this is exactly how Pedro’s dad must’ve wanted him to turn out Fulgor jumped right into action when Pedro asked him to kill Toribio so Pedro could add his part of the land to his Media Luna estate Toribio was killed in that room in Eduviges’ tavern and his dying screams are what Juan hears in the present Pedro sent Fulgor to sweep Doloritas off her feet on his behalf Pedro owed Doloritas’ family a lot of money he chose to play with her heart and trap her into a faux-marriage He washed his hands of all his responsibilities when he was done keeping up the ruse with Doloritas and banished her and their son Juan to her sister’s place In his ever-expanding need to feed his ego and torment women He was trying to give Miguel the freedom to do whatever he wanted when he turned a blind eye to his alarming actions which included killing town priest Father Renteria’s brother and raping his niece Ana Pedro convinced himself that was just paying for his sins Miguel had been the only person whose recklessness reminded Pedro of himself the only reason Pedro had even acknowledged Miguel as his son was because he’d hoped that Miguel would continue his legacy of abusive power-grabbing When Father Renteria brought in a baby that Pedro had fathered he didn’t want to take responsibility for it But it hurt his ego when Father Renteria said that the Paramo family had bad blood The only reason he even reluctantly agreed to give the practically orphaned child food and lodging was because he needed to prove his spirit of generosity to the town priest.  Even though this is Juan’s first time in Comala the essence of the town runs through his veins Maybe that’s what makes it so easy for him to comprehend the strange spiritual state of the town Souls who’ve endured a lot of torment get stuck in this town for an eternity of the same pain and confusion But even though Juan somewhat understands that that doesn’t make him any less scared of this place It’s a place where even the ghosts of the past whisper of his father’s notoriety Juan is mistaken for the man who captured women for Don Pedro’s heinous desires destructive goals was to find the killer of his father He had his goons thrash and kill people for the same The remnants of Comala’s haunting memories catch Juan off guard when he sees the souls of his father’s goons killing an innocent man Juan is rescued from that state of terror by two people who seem to be a couple They’re the miserable spirits of two incestuous siblings whose moral transgressions have closed the doors of Heaven to them The fact that Juan’s arrival frees the brother’s soul from this purgatory means that they were only stuck in Comala because they couldn’t part ways The brother hands the responsibility of caring for his sister over to Juan And when she gets Juan to lie down in her bed Juan may be the first man other than her brother who’s shared her bed And when her spirit turns into the mud that she has always felt she’s made of I strongly believe that Juan dies drowning in that mud The Juan that we see crawling out is probably his soul That’d also explain why he saw the souls of Comala swirling in the sky When Juan is joined in the grave by Dorotea the woman whose spirit pointed him in the right direction when he was looking for Eduviges’ place she tells him the haunting stories of the town’s slow death.  No matter how much violence Pedro stuffed his heart with He pined for the love that he knew before everything turned terrible in his life His men were never allowed to stop their search for Susana Susana and her father came back into Pedro’s life unexpectedly all Pedro could think about was how life had just given him another chance to be with the person he loved who very clearly had some incestuous sense of control over his daughter didn’t want to hand her over to some other man But turning Pedro down wasn’t an option Even though she was struggling emotionally and was devastatingly attached to her late husband and Susana being visited by his spirit in her bed pushed her further down into the well of madness the well that her father lowered her into to look for gold coins metaphorized and foreshadowed what would happen to her after Pedro came back into her life He distracted himself with other women until another loss hit him Fulgor was killed by the Mexican revolutionaries when they took up arms against the government and the rich It didn’t take Pedro long to bribe the revolutionaries with money and men and buy the safety of the power and money he had built up He didn’t even intend to pay them the money that he promised them And he even had his man Damasio infiltrate the group Pedro knew how to manipulate the revolution and keep his regime from falling victim to it fate destroyed him with the worst possible loss he could imagine Susana’s pain had been eating her up from within he couldn’t save the only person he’d ever truly loved It was torturous for him to hear all the festivities the incessant ringing of the bells had brought into Comala after Susana’s death It was a haunting mix of grief and celebration that took over the town Like he’d abandoned most of his children he refused to provide for the town that he had taken control of it’s come off like a dark place encased in the memories of all the pain people have felt there There’s almost this sense that anyone who’s ever been hurt in this town will be stuck in this town in one way or another Juan dying here means that a part of her will always haunt the streets of Comala Juan’s spirit being at the festivities that followed Susana’s death suggests the presence of a timeloop Comala only had the people who died there years ago until Juan arrived And his death might’ve messed with the veil of time and opened up a portal through which Juan could experience the things that preceded his arrival in Comala The same ground right outside the church where the fiesta had been held was where Dorotea found Juan that’s where Dorotea lays down to die in the embrace of someone who’s never hurt anyone in the cursed town Dorotea was never supposed to go to Heaven and meet God Father Renteria couldn’t find it in his heart to reassure such a sinner And that’s an example of one of the reasons the town’s cursed to be in pain forever where God and the rich control not just the lives of the women and the poor but also their fate in the afterlife sins are only forgiven for those with fat pockets Despite hating himself for such morally corrupt actions Father Renteria blesses Miguel’s soul and prays for him because Pedro sweetens the deal with a donation The priest doesn’t extend the same kindness to Eduviges’ soul and he deems her eternally damned because she committed the sin of suicide He’s the same kind of cruel to even Susana moments before her death Because she doesn’t reiterate the horrible prayer the priest has chosen for a sinner like her she’s condemned to exist in a lonely grave and complain away for all eternity.  The other source of the town’s damnation is Pedro Paramo He’s taken and taken from Comala until Susana died and killed until he had no reason to live anymore He would’ve killed himself if he was brave enough But he didn’t have the courage to risk an eternity in Hell He sat there in his wicker chair and waited for his death That’s where Abundio’s story comes in Abundio lost his hearing when a firecracker burst too close to his ears in the festivities Abundio was the first ghost that Juan met on his way to Comala When Abundio had gone to Pedro begging for some money to bury his wife Pedro probably didn’t even know that he was his son The fact that Damiana’s spirit doesn’t realize that she’s dead and tries to help Pedro when Abundio stabs him is the first sign that she will always be confused about her state of existence Pedro had been sitting outside to avoid being suffocated by the ghosts indoors But as he falls to his death in the presence of Damiana’s spirit Like Juan and all of Pedro’s children the town falls victim to the generational evil perpetuated by the Paramo family.