Code switching and family ties in ‘Laughs in Spanish’ at Speakeasy Stage

Celina Colby

Celina Colby is an arts and travel reporter with a fondness for Russian novels.... VIEW BIO

Prepare to giggle in whatever language suits you best during “Laughs in Spanish,” a telenovela-style comedy opening at Speakeasy Stage this month. If you’ve ever pondered a particularly abstract work of contemporary art or braced yourself before dealing with a difficult family member, this one’s for you.

Written by Alexis Scheer, the play follows Mariana, a gallerist about to open a huge show on the eve of Art Basel in Miami. But as the show is about to be installed, Mariana finds that all the works from her star artist, the one that would define Mariana’s own career as an art world guru, are missing. In case she didn’t have enough problems, her dramatic and often absent mother Estella appears on the scene.

The result is a part Spanish soap opera, part whodunit mystery and part family saga, all with a hefty dose of comic relief.   

Mariela López-Ponce (left) reviews a scene with actors Luz Lopez (seated) and Daniel Rios Jr. Production Stage Manager Emily Larson appears in the background between Mariela and Luz. PHOTO: KATHY WITTMAN

Elliot Norton Award-winning director Mariela López-Ponce will make her Speakeasy Stage debut for this production. López-Ponce is a founding member and co-producing artistic director of Teatro Chelsea, a company highlighting Latin American artists. A Cuban native, she also lived for many years in Miami before migrating to New England, so the Sunshine State romp hits a nostalgic chord.

“When I moved away from Miami, I saw how much of my identity was around speaking the two languages and combining Cuban culture and American culture,” says López-Ponce. “That exploration of people trying to navigate two cultures and two languages was really well done.”

That kind of code-switching — toggling between multiple cultures to cater to the group you’re with — is a common theme in the production, but not only related to race. The characters also switch between the vernacular and culture of the art world and that of the everyday. Scheer began writing the play while working toward her MFA in playwrighting at Boston University, and the value of art was heavy on her mind. That line of thought is explored attentively throughout the show.

Mother-daughter relationships are also at the heart of this play, and López-Ponce says there’s a kind of gender code-switching that occurs as well, between the romantic partners in the show.

“Laughs in Spanish” runs at Speakeasy Stage Sept. 13-Oct. 12. The production is performed in English with brief portions in Spanish.

All audiences will enjoy the show, but it will feel particularly like a warm hug for Spanish-speakers who may or may not have experience with code-switching and negotiating with dramatic mamas.

“Representation is an act of affirmation,” says Scheer. “I like to write Latine stories that expand on the stereotypes the media presents and show audiences how diverse the Latine experience in our country is. And that includes joyful, light-hearted experiences!”

So snag a cafecito and perk an ear up for the chisme — you’re about to head to Art Basel.