Family dynamics and Puerto Rican culture take the stage in ‘Don’t Eat the Mangos’
Family — the good, the bad and the ugly — is at the heart of “Don’t Eat the Mangos,” a familial drama infused with magical realism by Ricardo Pérez González that takes the stage at The Huntington this month. Though the story is very much rooted in González’s native Puerto Rico, and in his own family experience, the themes of sibling relationships, changing dynamics and kept secrets resonate universally.
The story centers on three sisters walking very different paths. The eldest, Ismelda (Jessica Pimentel), is staying home as the primary caretaker for their aging parents. The middle sister, Yinoelle (Yesenia Iglesias), is married with children and is preoccupied with her family’s future. And the youngest, Wicha (Evelyn Howe), is a teacher who can’t keep a secret to save her life.
As a hurricane approaches the island and the sisters try to balance the care of their ailing parents, secrets come out and tensions rise.
Jessica Pimentel (left) and Susanna Guzmán in “Don’t Eat The Mangos.” PHOTO: MARC J. FRANKLIN
“This is a timeless story,” said Pimentel, who is best known for playing Maria Ruiz on Netflix’s “Orange Is the New Black” and has appeared in many other film and stage productions. “One of the themes that this play hits is that there is a point where we see our parents as people, and we see their faults, we see their mistakes, we see their regrets.”
“Don’t Eat the Mangos” touches on many heavy topics, from the lifecycle of aging parents to the often-tense relationship between Puerto Rico and the United States. González relies heavily on humor to diffuse the weight of the topics, just as communities of color have relied on humor and artistic expression for centuries as a way of dealing with trauma.
“This is a deeply personal story. It’s my story. It’s my family’s story. It’s an allegory for the story of my people. And it speaks to the story of our moment,” said González. “’Mangos,’ with unflinching humor and grit, offers a look at what healing could look like. It’s not pretty, it’s not easy, but at its heart, this is the story of a family trying to heal itself.”
“Don’t Eat the Mangos” director David Mendizábal (left) and playwright Ricardo Pérez González PHOTO: NILE HAWVER
The use of magical realism in the production is a way of telling significant, heavy stories in a digestible way. It’s also a nod to the Latin American tradition of magical realism in literature and other art forms, when fantastical elements merge seamlessly with everyday life.
Though the themes of the production are universal in many ways, the telling of the story is distinctively Latin American.
“It is important to tell Latinae stories on stage because quite often, our stories are not being told by us,” said Pimentel. “Often it’s written by someone that doesn’t really know our culture, our inside jokes, our language, our rhythm, our history, they’re just regurgitating stereotypes of who they think we are.”
Pimentel says hearing Puerto Ricans in the audience verbally react to the cultural specificity in the play is extremely gratifying. She knows those audience members feel seen. The production is primarily performed in English with Spanish phrases liberally used throughout.
“Don’t Eat the Mangos” runs at The Huntington through April 27. Tickets start at $29 and discounts are available for students, patrons under 40, active military members and other groups.
Bridging gaps is difficult, in family settings and otherwise. Pimentel hopes the production will encourage the audience to bring empathy and kindness to every interaction.
“Especially now, we have a lot of things that have been dividing families and we need to learn how to understand each other,” said Pimentel. “We don’t know what’s happening with our friends and our neighbors behind closed doors.”
