Jajaja: A Laughs in Spanish Review
María Victoria Martínez and Luis Vega in Laughs in Spanish, 2025. Photo by T. Charles Erickson.
Hartford Stage presents Laughs in Spanish, a comedy, directed by Lisa Portes, that tackles themes of love, art, culture and the nuances of relationships. The show is set in Wynwood, Miami during the famed Art Basel and illustrates the nuances of the struggle between identity and fulfillment.
Mariana (Stephanie Machado) attempts to get the gallery back on track for Art Basel after an incident with the planned installation. With the help of the intern, Carolina (María Victoria Martínez) whose head is somewhere in the clouds which is the opposite of Mariana’s more grounded nature, Mariana is wound up over the plans that have gone haywire. Juan (Luis Vega), Caro’s police officer boyfriend, comes to investigate, but he isn’t the only visitor. Estella (Maggie Bofill), Mariana’s mother, shows up with her new assistant, Jenny (Olivia Hebert), who happens to be an old friend of Mariana’s.
Mariana’s relationship with her mother is strained and she doesn’t attempt to mask her frustration with her, especially because Estella is a vibrant, energetic, show stealer who casts a large shadow. Carolina is wary of the duality that her life direction requires of her as Juan tries to find a place for himself in it. The pressure of the day unearths dormant worries and forces each character to face themselves and each other.
Machado is a chameleon, stunningly unfolding her range with the story’s exposition, answering what each scene calls for with grace. Martínez is a firecracker that Vega enjoyably accents. Bofill is an absolute riot, streaking vibrance across each scene she enters. Along with Herbert, each cast member contributes something special to the story and the emotional representation of the play’s themes.
The simplistic scenic design by Brian Sidney Bembridge transforms, opening up to the shifts in the storyline, enveloping the audience with each transition. The lighting design of Sherrice Mojgani and the music and sound design of Daniela Hart/UptownWorks notably create auditory and visual shifts that layers beautifully with each production element.
Laughs in Spanish is a well rounded production that leaves audiences with an incomparable sense of joy. Get tickets to Hartford Stage’s production of Laughs in Spanish at https://www.hartfordstage.org through March 30th.