Con-cierto olvido

Yuyachkani is a Peruvian theatre group which was founded in 1971. Since then the seven members have created several plays centered around terrorism in Peru and the cultural and historical aspects of the Peruvian Sierra. Yuyachkani means "I´m thinking, I´m remembering" in quechua; their plays contain heavy social and political content and are often presented using experimental techniques situated on the poorest parts of Peru specially those which have experienced violence from terrorist attacks.

Throughout the years Yuyachkani has created numerous plays and this year their newest play, "Con-cierto olvido" is being presented at their own theatre.

Con-cierto olvido is a play which appeals to our senses especially to our hearing sense. It resembles a concert and most of the time theres music in the background which the same actors play. While some two of the seven actors act the other 5 may be playing different kinds of instruments, from typical instruments likea bass or a simple guitar to intruments which come from the Peruvian sierra.

The actors not only play instruments, some also sing in quechua while others are acting and telling the audience about their son´s death, how they asked for help and where simply insulted by the army. Because there are no fixed characters the actors change several times throughout the play from character to character, and even start acting in different genres, sometimes the music changes and one starts performing as a clown and others one wears a mask and acts as an old man while the music changes.

There´s a moment in the play where al the actors sit at one side of the stage and form a line while they start making the noises which resemble those of a jungle, making sounds of different animals. In con-cierto olvido the three major areas of Peru are shown, the coast the sierra and the jungle are all present, they are shown throughout instruments, the acting techniques and the stories told by the characters

In conclusion, "Con-cierto olvido" is a play which appeals to different senses while representing different aspects of our country. It shows , not only the locations but also the traditions and the kinds of people which we encounter in our every day life. After nearly 40 years Yuyachkani keeps creating high quality palys which can be interpreted in different ways, either artistically, politically or socially.