As stated earlier, the date of the American occupation, 1848, was the technical beginning of Chicano theatre. According to Roberto J. Garza in his introduction to
Contemporary Chicano Theatre
, Mexican travelling vaudevillian-type shows known as “Carpas,” and “Tandas,” short musical reviews based on long-ignored Mexican folklore, entertained audiences in the border towns during this period and continued beyond the turn of the century. Performed in tents quickly set up in the middle of the street, these enhanced the new “nationalistic, proletarian consciousness which grew out of the Mexican Revolution”
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and had typical commedia dell’arte stock characters dealing with problems faced by the miners and the railroad and agricultural workers. These dramas, in which the campesinos could relieve their misery somewhat by laughing at the actors’ antics directed against their common oppressors, probably were the precursors of the contemporary Chicano plays to be considered in this unit.
Between the turn of the century and the 1960’s, known as the “renacimiento” or re-birth of Chicano-created literature, there emerged several Mexican Folk Theatre groups in the southwestern part of the U.S. Garza remarks that the actual existence of the Chicano in American society was not represented through the romanticized performances of these groups and that it was not until October, 1965, that contemporary Chicano dramatic literature came into prominence. This new mode of expression was the direct result of the famous strike organized by the United Farm Workers under the leadership of César Chávez against the grape ranchers in Delano, California. Lu’s Miguel Valdez, whose
Los Vendidos
will be studied in this unit, founded the Teatro Campesino at this time, engaging itself primarily not in dramaturgy but in social action. His approach has been likened to the “agit prop” theatres which were prominent in the U.S. during the Depression and more commonly known as “living” or “guerrilla” theatres. In his efforts to educate the worker in the politics of survival, he also achieves elements of the rougish, picaresque type of humor enjoyed by contemporary Mexicans in the antics of their popular comedian, Cantinflas.
For many years, playwrights copied Valdez, especially in his development of “actos.” According to Valdez, this is a short—ten to fifteen minute—improvisational piece designed to inspire the audience to social action, illuminate specific points about social problems, satirize the opposition, show or hint at a solution and express what people are feeling.
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During these spontaneous dramatizations, signs explaining the roles of the various persons connected with the strike would be hung around the necks of the participants. Thus the stage, very often the back of a truck, devoid of costumes, scenery and props, would provide a simple setting for these stock characters, including “Esquirol,” the strikebreaker, “Patroncito,” the boss, “Huelgista,” the striker, and “Contratista,” the labor contractor. The volunteers would then move into their act, thinking up their lines as they went along. The dialogue fluctuated between English and Spanish and there was much use of gesticulation to overcome language problems, resulting in slapstick humor.
Los Vendidos
is obviously the result of a Valdez acto as the stereotypical representatives of Mexican society are “displays” in a showroom for sale.