 Okay. We are live. Hello, everybody. I see 28 people. Okay. So we start, right? I wrote something that I want to read for this day. First, I would like to extend a very warm welcome to everyone joining us today for this conversation on playwriting and the current political situation in Chile. First of all, I would like to thank Ana Lopez Montaner, director of Interdram for the invitation to participate in the project Interdram Entrevistas del Fondo de la Cultura, Las Artes y el Patrimonio 2020. It's a tremendous opportunity to continue reaching out to those engaging artistically with the political movement in Chile, particularly to playwrights Flavia Radrigan, Christian Ruiz and Lona Fernández. Also, thanks to this audience and Jennifer Thompson from Penn, who will facilitate the discussion with our three guests and our translator, the Chilean-Canadian, almost Canadian playwright, Bruce Geven Svel. At the end of the discussion, we will have some time for questions from the audience in the chat so you can you can post the questions in the chat. As many of you may be aware, Chile has been in the midst of a massive social uprising since October 2019, what began as a protest over the metro fair hike soon took on the scale of a revolution, which caused to transform Chile's neoliberal economy and patriarchal and police violence and to honor the rights of queer and indigenous communities. Currently, there is a movement to rewrite the constitution that has illegally governed Chile since the dictatorship, and we await this vote on October 22nd. Each of the playwrights here today are deeply invested in the current social and political struggle in Chile, and their work has spoken to these themes throughout their careers. Flavia Radrigan is an outstanding teacher and playwright. Her contribution to the field includes many plays among them, El Descanso de las Velas, The Rest of the Candles, Lier, El Reyes Udoble, an intertextual work with the king Lier of William Shakespeare, and Un Ser Perfectamente Ridículo, a perfectly ridiculous creature. In these works, she explores the dystopic family and the public figure of the father in the intimacy of private life, as well as the relation between father and daughter. In the context of Chile's current revolution, she has argued that their world has a social function. How could we not face the situation of Chilean women and the women in the world at in? Women's theater speaks from the necessity of saying that the patriarchy has always been a perfect, unperverse system of exploitation. It's a pleasure and an honor to have you with us, Flavia. Thank you so much for coming today. Christian Ruiz has been working as the director of La Machina Teatro Company since 2001. His outstanding plays include Yo Manuel, La Dimensione del Tiempo, Recuerdos incompletos de un reloj, among others. In them, he explores the reciprocal relationship between personal and political issues and stories, as well as between fiction and the news political dynamics that have formed our existence. He has a state, while some demands justice support by chance, lifting pick signs under the banner of associations, I choose playwriting to carry my stamp. This is my only trench. In this way, his work relates to Nona Fernández's achievements. After 12 years of writing novels, Nona opened her first play El Tayer, which won Chile's Alta Surprise, awarded by her colleagues. Since then, her many plays have found resonance in Chile and internationally. She's able to look at our world as a drone in the sky, patiently absorbing our history with anger, sweetness and kindness. She's obsessed with some moments that need to be taught out as a society, moments that were not convenient for any government after the dictatorship. Talking about her work, she quotes Walter Benjamin, nothing that has ever happened should be regarded as lost for history. She deals with pain and the past, which is natural, because this is the only way to build dignity for us, for the children that will come, for the people who are protesting, overwhelmed by this wild capitalism. Nona Fernández, Cristian Ruiz and Flavia Raderigan put on a stage which is usually outside of the center and seen those who are not the protagonists of official history. These authors have captured images of Chile that predict our current fight, the fight of October, commanded by women, marching, walking with the flags of dignity. The ideas of Rita Segato, taken by Las Tesis in a well-known performance called Un Violador and Antucamino, are deeply connected with the words of these playwrights. When they stand, the patriarch is a judge that imprisons us from birth and our punishment is the violence that you don't see. The patriarch is a judge that imprisons us from birth and our punishment is the violence that you can see. Flavia, Cristian and Nona have criticized our current politics in many ways as a constant reflection of our history, revealing underground layers and speculating about our past to build our future. Thank you, you all, thank you all of you for being here today. Thank you so much Leo for that wonderful introduction and thank you to everyone who is here with us today, especially our playwrights. I'll get our conversation started with a few questions but please feel free to drop questions into the chat as they come to you. We'll either fold them into our conversation or we'll save some time at the end for all of your questions and please do feel free to ask them in English or Spanish and we'll get them translated. So as Leo so wonderfully put it, October 18th 2019 has proven to be a momentous date for Chile and I was wondering if each of our playwrights could speak to how you're thinking about the role of theater and your own work within the theater has changed. I can start. Well, the role of theater has been fundamental because in one of its parts it has been discovered that it belongs to the family canasta, that art already belongs to the daily one. So without wanting to give a fight to be shown in its total value, it was no longer theater as luxury, but rather as a social value. So that makes me very happy with the theater and also that it resisted the value, the theater was a resistant, a survivalist, who has been modifying and when modifying it has not been opened and expanded in a surprising way because there is a new generation, there is a new air, there are new visions and it has allowed to rethink and show what has happened. So I think theater has been fundamental after October, fundamental in the pandemic and now it is in its place, let's say, it has given the opportunity to show, to talk, to speak and to situate theatricality as a contingency that allows you to look from another point of view. Okay, one second. So the role of theater has been fundamental, the role of theater has been fundamental because one of its parts has discovered that it belongs to the everyday in Chile. Without meaning to, it formed a struggle that really showed itself as a social value and art is not a luxury anymore. So that joins really well with theatricality because theater has been a survivor that has been modifying and by doing so it's opened up in a surprising way. There's a new generation, there's a new air, new vision and new ways to show and think about what's happened. Hence it's been fundamental and in this place it leads to conversations and to ways of thinking theatricality as something contingent you can observe from other points of view. Hola, primero que nada, hola, hola a todos, hola a todas, hola a todas. Muchas gracias por la invitación y por la compañía y por las ganas de dialogar hoy. So hello everyone, we have different genders in Spanish so don't address all the genders present and would like to thank for the invitation for the company and for the will to do a dialogue around this. Hasta el día de hoy, un momento importantísimo dentro de la vida de nuestro país, un destape, una amplitud de mirada tremenda que nos removió el piso a todas y a todos. Y el teatro que es nuestro escenario por supuesto que también se vio removido por este gran incidente que hemos tenido. Primero en una lógica de no entender cómo seguir, de pronto la teatralidad que impregnó las calles, la creatividad que impregnó las calles era superior a cualquier obra que nosotros pudiésemos estar dando en una sala de teatro. So October 18th has been and is an important moment in our country's life. It's been a huge reveal and an opening of views. It actually just shook the ground under everyone's feet. And theater was moved by this incident in these two ways in the logic of not really understanding how to continue, how to go on. And we also saw that the theatricality and creativity on the streets was way bigger than any piece we could see in the theater. And I think that until today we are in a revision because what October 18th means in the life of this country is a replanting. Therefore the theater is also living that replanting. I don't know how the theater will be after this historical process that we are living. We are thinking about how we are going to tell this, how we are going to tell it, what structures, what languages, because the social revolution is giving us a new form, that we still can't observe at all. A form that is collective, that is surrounded by social fabric and that I believe that as theatrists, that we know how to work surrounded and collective, we are the most prepared, I think we are the ones who are the best prepared to take on this new stage of creation and of formality. So I believe that up to today we are revising what October 18th means. October 18th means a big rethinking. Theater is going through this big process of thinking things out again. How theater will be after this, we are still thinking about it, and especially of what we are going to say, how we are going to say it, what structure, what language we will be using, because the social revolt brings forward a new form that we still can't figure out. It is within society in full and as artists we are the most prepared to take on this new stage of creation and of formality. We were organizing ourselves, we were working collectively, we were working in our barriere assemblies, in our gremial assemblies, trying to organize ourselves. So the pandemic placed us in a moment where there were already very deep layers of organization. And in theatrical terms, that was immediately noticed because theater, which is an artisanship that is impossible to exercise in times of closure and in times of social distance, was one of the first arts that began to be articulated the same through Zoom. Bruce? Right. Yes. So as a way of proving the preparation and training that artists have working as a collective, we can see what's been happening with the pandemic. So after the social process of revolt, we got into a sanitary crisis. Chile has inherited many things from that moment of revolt, because we have been organizing, we have been working as a collective, having assemblies in terms of work, in terms of neighbors, in all aspects of social culture. And so the pandemic has actually situated us in a moment where we find theater, which is meant for the stage, the performing art of gathering, and which has made it possible to work in that sense. And theater was one of the first forms to kind of reinvent itself or begin to go on Zoom platforms. And it allowed us, as Flavia said, to exercise in a new way, to quickly reinvent a formality of work with two very clear axes. One, to support an area of the artistic arts that has been very affected, which is very precarious, not only because of the pandemic, but because of the past. And also to be able to exercise and support the public in this process that has been very rough and very painful and complex. And theater has been one of the cultural formalities that has been accompanying and that has been alive, in terms of what has been supported, of course, as well as all the arts, reading, poetry, music, concerts. And theater has supported Chilean society at this difficult moment. So this also allows, as Flavia said, to reinvent our form in a new way. We can sustain an area of the performing arts, which has been hit really hard and has always been living in a precarious way. And to work on our art and accompany an audience in this hard trance that we're going through. Because theater has been one of the cultural forms that has been alive and accompanying people as possible. And as well as other arts, such as music, concerts, poetry, reading, and theater has been able to hold society up in this sense. So thank you for the invitation. I'm very honored to be here. And be able to talk with these great playwrights and thanking Leo's words as well. On Jennifer's question, I think about the theater's role in what it has been from the Greeks on, reflecting on a historical moment, a great historical moment, and share that reflection with the people and looking forward. And to be able to look through the era and the century and to be able to give light on that, I think we're in a crucial moment in Chile, at least. I feel lucky, at least. We're in a historical moment. We're going to write the Constitution for the fifth time, but as Arthur Miller said, somehow the playwright is also trying to catch what's in the social air that still doesn't land or crystallize as to be able to observe the time and century and shine a light on it. And until we are living a crucial historical moment, we will be writing the Constitution for the fifth time, but this time the people will be involved. And this is due because in our general election coming up, the people will vote to approve a new Constitution. And fast. A playwright who translates. Okay. So, thinking about the role of the theater of looking forward, there is a really hard challenge to her job and her art because we must validate the way of how we tell ourselves that we will reinvent ourselves and set the rules of this new social contract. We have also talked to some students who are present there. How to develop a theater that can speak to a viewer who is so versatile and who already realized that it can be realized, that it awakens and now has the possibility, the Chilean, to write its own rules of play, its own social contract. And that is fantastic. It is a historical moment. I feel fortunate to be living it. So, going back to the Greeks and how they would observe facts and give a chance to thinking and rethinking and reimagining. It's about what Flavia said in a little rehearsal we had the other day where we just kind of tried out the Zoom platform how it was going to work. And Flavia talked about a transversal vision that's happening in Chile and how we need to talk to a transversal audience that realizes or may realize the power and the chance they have to write their own rules to the game in relation to theater. And it's fantastic. It's a historical moment in Chile and it feels lucky to be living it. That's right. And to close this idea it's also about thinking how to validate these new ways of thinking, of loving who you want, of being who you are, doing what you want, and not think under the imprisonment of neoliberalism. Theater also needs to work the metaphor, going back to the Greeks, and also not fall into the seductive clause of what is planetary. Yes, wonderful. And I think one of the things we were talking about a little bit last time, as Leo brought up, many in the U.S. are aware of the work of Las Deses and that feminist performance has been such a powerful force in this movement. I was wondering why you think feminist performance in particular has had such power and how are you thinking about the power and possibilities of feminism within your own work? So a lot of people in the States right now, a lot of people in I sorry, a lot of people in the U.S. know about the amazing performance of Las Deses and quite recently, and the question is why has it been feminist performance, for example Las Deses or considering the feminist May of 2018, such a powerful force in this movement and how do you think about the power and possibilities of feminist performance in your work? I don't know if I start... It touches me. It touches me there, thank you. Yes, Las Deses, the performance did a great job in the women's march. It was wonderful. Moreover, there are so many anarchists with the rhythm. So it was fantastic. For example, there is a metaphor, in the end of what we were talking about, a metaphor that is clear, the message is very clear, but also the metaphor comes from the rhythm. Because they are based on the anthem of Chile's caravans to be able to develop this performance and that's why they have a demand for Chile's caravans. Finally, because also in the rhythm, based on this anthem, they are telling the caravans that they are also the violators. So I'm just going to add a little thing before I translate for Christian. So Las Deses' performance is called un violador en tu camino, which means a rapist in your way. It's a little riff off the Chilean national police forces. Him, it's like their song. And Christian says that it was really wonderful seeing Las Deses and their huge performance at the women's march. Because what they do is fantastic in regards to the rhythm. There's a metaphor there, it's clear and concrete, and it also comes from that rhythm you just mentioned. Because as I said before, they base their performance on the official hymn of the Chilean police force. And that's actually why they're being sued by them. Because basing themselves on that rhythm, they are also telling the police that they are rapists too. And I think that opens up the possibility. That protagonist opens up the possibility not only to women, but also to men. Because Chile is also a very macho society. And it opens up the possibility that we can look at this new version of Chile that we want with a bigger role in women. Because not only in performance, but in every aspect of things. So I think that that protagonist opens up the possibility not only to women, but to men. Because Chile is a very misogynistic society, but in the sense of observing this new version of Chile that we want. With a larger protagonist for women. And not only in sense of arts and performance. He saw in the news today that there was some information that if women could actually access the workforce in a major capacity. Chile's internal economic product would be way larger as well. And it's not a coincidence that the Times magazine has chosen the thesis when Camila Vallejo had also been there a few years ago. In other words, the world is also realizing that women are leaders in Chile. The problem is that the Chileans still have a hard time believing it. Camila Vallejo. So it's not by chance that New York Times chose the thesis. As he had chosen Michelle Bachelet, our former president, or Camila Vallejo's person who works. She's a politician who works in the Chamber of. And can't have the Chamber of Commons, but let's just say the Senate. And the world is seeing that women are leaders in Chile. And the problem is that Chileans have trouble believing it. And also, and this to end, to give my colleagues, call them. There's also the protagonist of performance in every field. I mean, it's not just about a performance act. I think there's a big wave of performance acts in the street, in the life of women. So to let the others answer to close the idea that there's also the protagonist of performance in every sense and not only related to a performatic act. It's also a new wave of performance that performatic acts that will come on the streets in life and it's in the air. It's the era of women in Chile. Gracias. The feminism in Chile has a long date. And it has been one of the most important forces to open and solidify our democracy, our weak democracy. But it has been one of the most important forces. If we have a universal vote in Chile thanks to feminists, if we have a divorce law in this country thanks to feminists, if we have a precarious and very shy abortion law by three causes, it's thanks to feminism. Feminismo es una fuerza que ha estado presente en la vida civil y en la vida sociopolítica de nuestro país, aunque queramos invisibilizar el poder de esa fuerza. Feminism has a very long history in Chile. It's been one of the most important forces to open and solidify our democracy, our weak democracy. So if we have a universal vote in Chile, it's thanks to feminism. If we have a divorce law in Chile, it's thanks to feminism. If we have a precarious and shy abortion law, it's thanks to feminism in Chile. Feminism is a force that's present in the civil and social political life of our country, though we may want to invisibilize the power of that force. Y desde el mayo del 2019, 18, ya me perdí, 18, bien esta nueva oleada que hablamos del mayo feminista, que existió y sigue con mucha fuerza hasta el día de hoy funcionando, y yo diría, es mi modo de observarlo, que si tuvimos un 18 de octubre es en gran parte obra y trabajo del feminismo, que nos tiene incómodos y incómodas desde hace un buen rato replanteando y destituyendo y desbaratando un montón de formas patriarcal con las que estamos acostumbradas y acostumbrados a funcionar. Eso ha sido un, yo diría, un proceso bastante intenso que hemos tenido como sociedad desde hace un par de años, gracias al feminismo. Lo sabe la academia, lo sabe el mundo empresarial, lo sabemos en nuestras propias prácticas gremiales, el teatro ha sido muy sacudido por este desbarate que ha propuesto el feminismo en nuestras propias lógicas y prácticas de funcionamiento, que son abusivas, que son patriarcales, el teatro lo sabe. Oh, el teléfono. Prus. Perdón, un teléfono. Yeah. So, since May 2018 comes this new wave, a feminist May, which is still too strong and organized and working. Nona sees that that October the 18th comes from this wave of feminism that has kept us uncomfortable rethinking and tearing down patriarchal forms that we're used to working under. It's been an intense process for society. And for a few years it's been present and it's becoming recognized by academia, the business world, our own practices as artists within our workforce. And theater has been overall shaken by this, by the logics and practices of how abuse of all these abusive practices that have been functioning coming from the patriarchy. And the Chilean revolt, I feel that it has a great impact on all the causes that we have been as a society in Arbolando for a long time. Our health, our education, our pension system, the problem with our immigrants, the problems with racism, all those problems that have been in the last decade in Arbolado by the citizens, in different marches, in different protests. All of a sudden, October the 18th comes together because in each of those areas, there are women who are suffering those precariousnesses and are thinking those precariousnesses and are being organized much before October the 18th. Therefore, I observe that October the 18th, the Chilean revolt, because there is a feminist world that is pushing and amalgamating these precariousnesses and precariousnesses that Chile has for a long time now. And I think it has been one of the most important forces of this revolt. And in that context, the performance of the theses appears. So the Chilean revolt is a sort of big, I'll say it in a second umbrella that covers all these different causes. Health, education, pensions, migrants, racism, and all these problems have exploded together because in each of these areas are women living in a precarious way, organizing themselves way before October the 18th. And I observe that it comes from a feminist world that is taking on what is lacking in Chile. And feminism is, hence, one of the most important forces of the revolt. And that's the context where the theses come in. And also, this performance is so successful, first of all, here in Chile, because women have understood that they cannot continue posturing their own demands. Historically, women, not only in Chile, but in the world, have postured their demands in favor of social demands, as if the demands of women were not important. It has always happened in the political world. So, partner, don't meddle now, because we are in something else. This is a class struggle, it's not a gender struggle. We have always understood that. And unfortunately, and this is the case, the class and the gender are also very entangled. And I believe that this Chilean revolt understood it. And the performance of the theses appears here, extremely successful, and what happens is that it seems that it makes the echo of a demand that is universal and that is of all humanity. Women have been precarious, and have been hurt during the complete history of humanity. And apparently, we no longer want that. It has shown this performance in some way. It has made it very established. And I think it has been beautiful, not only for those of us who have seen it in Chile or for the Chilean feminists, but also for the complete humanity. So, this performance is so successful, first in Chile, because women have understood that they can't postpone their own demands. Because historically women have postponed their demands in favor of other social demands. Like for example, women's issue with gender wasn't as important in the political world. They would hear phrases like, this is a class struggle, not a gender struggle. And they postpone their demands. But gender and class are very interwoven, very mixed, and theses appears as an echo of a universal demand. Women have lived hurt in precarious ways throughout human history, and women seem to not want it anymore. So, the performance made it perfectly clear and established this idea. And it's beautiful for Chileans, for feminists in Chile as well, and for humanity. And just to close, I want to say that, of course, feminism here in Chile is the big house of the difference. And not in Chile. In the world it's the big house of the differences, right? Feminism observes the differences. Intersectional feminism manages to understand that here all the vulnerabilities are important, not one more than the other. That the issue of race, that the issue of class, that the different vulnerabilities that we have are equally important, and we have to arouse it at the same time. And I think that's the great lesson that the feminism is giving us at the moment. I also want to point out that Chile is going to be the first country in the world that is going to redact its constitution in a parietary way. A 50% of men and a 50% of women are going to participate in the constituent assembly, imagining and creating a new constitution. That has never happened in the world. And it's about Chilean feminism. So I think that's how important feminism is at this moment, the work of feminism. And therefore, of course, the thesis are a way to highlight it and observe it in artistic terms as well. Somehow it's echo of this that has been circulating for a long time. So to close the idea, feminism is the great house of differences. Feminism observes differences. Intersectional feminism understands that all issues regarding human rights are important, class, race, and we must take them on at the same time. So feminism is giving that right now to the struggle. Chile will actually be the first country to have a parietary constitution. So there will be a 50% representatives that are men and a 50% representatives that are women in the assembly to create a new constitution, whether it would be working and imagining the new set of rules that will govern this country. And this is due to Chilean feminism. This is why feminism and the work is so important. And the stasis take this to a certain artistic venture and make echo of these ideas. That's it. Yes. Well, first of all, I completely agree with Cristiana and Nona because Nona already did a wonderful exhibition to fund the stasis. So to complement, to say that I find them wonderful because one of the things that was forbidden for the Chilean woman and the world in many years is to manifest her anger, her sorrow, her anger. And the performance gave a space to evoke the anger with art, with creation and content. So it was not to shout that you hated me, you raped me. I show it to you, I recycle it. I show it to you. There is a word that is fashionable that I forget now, but it's like reinvented, I forget the word. It's like resilient. You didn't kill me. You made me resilient and I return your hit. So I don't come to measure the pain. I am clear. You raped me. And that is clear. I don't come for revenge. I come to show you what you are. Here we go. So Flavia totally agrees with Cristiana and Nona and what Nona wonderfully exposed regarding stasis. And to complement these ideas, the stasis are wonderful and I think one of the things that were prohibited to Chilean women, which was expressing their anger, their sadness, their rage. And this performance in particular created a space to evacuate the rage through art, creation and content. It wasn't screaming at the problem, look at what you've done. It showed it in a way that was recycled. It was resilient. You didn't kill me, you made me resilient and I hit back. I'm not here to measure the pain. Let it be clear. I'm not here for vengeance. I'm here to show you what you are. That's why I think ECO did it worldwide and it was so great. Because there was a desire to take care of me and to be able to verbalize. We couldn't say or accuse. And through this artistic performance it was achieved. So I think now they're going to flourish with content. So one of the great advances that is appreciated by theatricality is to give content to that discourse for women who didn't have the possibility to declare their pain openly, openly. Those women who had to suffer in silence. That's enough to make a series of movements and that's it. I denounced you. This is why it became so big and all over the world internationally because it allowed women to verbalize and accuse through the performance. And it was able to happen. It hadn't been able to happen before. And now art and theater should flourish with content and give content to the discourse especially to women who did not have the chance to declare their pain openly. Women who had to suffer in silence. And through this performance with just a series of movements you've already denounced something. You've denounced the man and it's done. Yes. To close, just to close, I find it very beautiful because women don't have to go back to suffer to scream their pain again, right? The scream is not to measure how much I suffer how much you suffer, but how we recreate it. So I think it comes in October of a lot of creation of a lot of brilliant, emotional manifestation with content. And we just have to wait. And what the Nona says is fundamental because above all the possibility of creating a constitution with that desire with that desire to recycle, to recycle, to do it right. I think it's going to be something that's going to mark this era for Chile. So to close, it's very beautiful because women don't need to go back and suffer or just go back and scream because screaming doesn't measure really how much you hurt or how much the other person hurt. It's actually about how you recreate it. And this October will be very emotional. It will be full of protests and content and art, and we just have to wait for it to happen now. And Nona also mentioned the spirit in which the constitution is being created and it being resilient and having moments where it can be made just and recycle will really mark this era for Chile. Thank you so much. It's so inspiring to hear you talk about feminism about what it does through performance and what it can do to remake and reimagine the world. In terms of remaking and reimagining the world, one question that started to come up in our chat and we'll go to more is what advice you would give for students who are wrestling with both local and global questions facing this changing world. What advice would you give to students who are going to be creating theater in the midst of all of this? Second. Entonces, a propósito de lo que se ha estado preguntando de chat en este momento hay estudiantes que están preguntando a propósito de la reimaginación del mundo de qué consejos le darían a estudiantes que están tratando con estas preguntas locales y globales y en su proceso de creación del teatro en el medio de todo esto. Te toca partir a ti Nuna, no? A mí, sí. ¿Qué consejo dar? Yo creo que no es fácil en momentos como esto dar algún consejo son momentos como yo los he vivido así me siento muy como atientas como cuando uno está en la oscuridad y anda atientas como que no hay certezas no hay nada muy claro y es justamente eso lo maravilloso lo vertiginoso yo creo que estamos entrando yo diría como humanidad por supuesto nosotras y nosotros estamos contaminados muy bien contaminados por un proceso chileno que es de destitución de borrar todo lo que no nos gusta para partir algo nuevo por lo tanto lo que yo diga tiene que ver mucho con ese momento pero creo que como humanidad necesitamos darnos ese momento también entonces quienes escribimos no estamos fuera de ese proceso de repensar el mundo de reinventar el mundo de reinventar nuestra escritura de reinventar nuestras lógicas de escritura de reinventar nuestros temas de abrirnos sin miedo a equivocarnos porque equivocarnos no importa los errores son maravillosos como para la construcción del proceso entender que esto no es parte de esta lógica neoliberal que se nos ha instalado a todas y a todos los humanos la creación es parte de un proceso y no de una competencia el éxito no es lo que importa sino el aporte al colectivo ver como nuestra obra es una ofrenda dentro de nuestro pequeño aporte que podemos hacer pero pensarnos también como creadores para un todo y no para nosotros mismos pensar nuestra obra como un regalo como un regalo de meditación de reflexión porque quizá alguien le puede hacer sentido pero pensar siempre en el otro en la otra y en cómo puedes hacer eco de una voz que es colectiva más allá de una voz personal eso recojo yo en este escenario a tientas de completa confusión Luz, te vi mucho trabajo yo podría escuchar los tejadores tres años so this is for English so what advice can I give it's not easy in moments like this to actually give advice there are moments the moment has lived this way feeling tentative in the dark where there's no sense in certainty there's no clarity and that's actually very wonderful there's a really important vertiginous part to it that we're entering and working in this kind of contaminating process of removal to begin something new but as a humanity as humanity we need that moment as well we who write are part of the process of reinventing the world reinventing logic reinventing writing reinventing logic in writing themes and opening up with no fear of error of making mistakes because mistakes are so powerful for the construction of a process and taking it out of like the neoliberal logic that we're in so success doesn't really matter competition is not the way we have to make an offering to the collective we need to think ourselves as creatives for the whole not for ourselves our creation is a gift of reflection of meditation but we always have to think about the other and a collective voice above a personal voice this is what I gather from the tentative scenario do you want me to continue? no do you want to say something Flago? no, something very short as a piece of advice that in reality I don't give you much advice and it would always be even if we weren't in this stage because that the artist always has to reinvent himself it doesn't matter it doesn't matter the stage I think look what happens is that it's true it's a world it's a strange world but our work is the same as the other you have to sit down and write and think and act so you always have to be doing it's the same from an engineer to a doctor so the major advice is work the artist doesn't need a curriculum he has to show his work he doesn't need to show, he doesn't get work in Chile the actors don't go to the theater they don't have a curriculum they have to see them and if you don't see them doing it they don't exist so the only advice almost from mom is work look for your style look for your rhythm look for your form look for yourself look for yourself move I think we are so immersed it's hard to see what we are living so if we have to organize we don't if we have to leave we leave but we don't think about it the thesis was making a work and that piece of work was used to agglutinate so it's what we have what we are putting because I think it's the only way to survive doing and fighting and saying this is what I write and I write it me, woman, me, man but this is what I write so this country allows us to identify as they want to make the manifestation is the glue of us the most adult is to leave the space to these young people so they can take their lives take the streets and culture and transform it because I'm sorry here I finish I belong just like my partner to the Visagra generation it has touched me to be a Visagra always to take a step, from the 80s to the 90s to take a step so I think the duty of one is to clean the path as much as possible and help and work in community and as the nun says here is not the competition but to go from time to time and to sign you have to sign you have to sign economically emotionally you have to say that you want to nothing more so as advice Flavia always gives an advice even though it works right now or before but the artist always has to reinvent yourself no matter what we're going through it is our tentative moment it's a strange world right now but our work is actually to sit to write to think and to act you must always be doing just like an engineer or a doctor for example her advice is to work artists don't really need a CD a resume they need to show their work and Chile actors don't come in a room with a resume you have to see them and if you don't see them they don't exist there's a motherly form of advice do work find your style, find your rhythm find your form, find yourself go out, do a performance move we're so immersed we can't really see what we're living what we're going through and if we need to march let's go let's march if we need to organize ourselves let's do it that they see encapsulated all of this it's the only way of surviving doing to say this is what I write me as a man as a woman this is exactly what I write this is who I am so you have to identify yourselves as you can and older adult playwrights they really must make space for the youth to take on life to take the streets to take culture and transform it finale belongs to what is called the hinge generation which is a generation between certain historical moments and the need for people of that generation is to really open the roads and promote working in a community because as Nona said there's no competition we really need to march together and hold each other emotionally economically and tell the people we love that we love them what advice would I give to the students several the first is to take the advice that is not giving this virus because it comes to give us super advice world stop and think that doesn't mean my son is laughing he's 8 years old world stop and look and think that's what this virus comes to tell us and he did and he did it all so stop and think stop and think stop second point nothing is sure so we know nothing's sure we have to reinvent ourselves like said you have to reinvent yourself always and you have to reinvent yourself we don't have to come up with a virus to reinvent ourselves I have a third advice but as long as you give us a Bruce then El tercero es no normalizar las conductas de dominación. Nosotros estamos normalizados aquí en Chile, que tenemos que estar con un... Toque y queda. Toque gracias, nona. Estamos en tallas tan normalizados. No normalizan nada. No normalicen ni el toque de queda. No normalicen que hayan militares en las calles. No normalicen eso. Entonces como para ir cerrando, vuelvo a decir, parem, mírense. No esperen que un video les venga a decir que parem y mírense. Nada es seguro tampoco. Así que si ustedes creen que el próximo año, con las condiciones que hay, creen. Con estas condiciones que hay. Y... Y organícense con esas condiciones. Porque esas condiciones... Y no crean que esas condiciones van a seguir. Pueden ser que el próximo año vuelvan a cambiar. Eso ya entendimos. Y lo tercero no normalicen. No normalicen los sistemas de dominación. Eso es fundamental para cualquier pensador, creador y ciudadano que quiera ser protagonista de su historia. No normalicen nada. No están normalizando. Se me olvida el concepto. Hasta se me olvida el concepto no. El toque de queda. Y en algunas ciudades andan militares. Eso era... No queremos ese país. Gracias. Voy a cambiar una cosa para otra para que quede más bonito. Ok. Estás realizando. Let's go. Let's get started. The first one is a piece of advice that comes from the virus, which is world stop and rethink yourself. World stop. Lock at yourself and think. The virus did that to the whole world, so stop and rethink yourselves. The second And the third is to not normalize dominating conducts. So in Chile we have normalized a lot of dominating conducts. For example, we have a military curfew in the whole country right now due to the pandemic to control Chilean hygiene and sanitary conditions. So they're military in the streets and we have situations where the military take the streets under certain laws and situations and we don't want that world. Do not normalize dominating conducts. So in a nutshell, stop, look at yourself, think. Nothing is certain. Create within the conditions you're in. Organize yourselves within them and everything may change. Maybe next year things will be really different and just finally stressing not to normalize systems of oppression and domination because that's the only way to be a protagonist of your own story. We have another question from the audience that is really interesting. This question is from Paola Camacho. So I will go in English first and you can translate it. Okay, I'm reading in Spanish. What advice do you have for those students that would like to write about what they are not experiencing? Paola has lived and grew up in the United States but her family is from Colombia. She feels Colombian and she feels a strong connection to a cultural country. How can she write authentically about the political and social situation in Colombia or any country in South America without actually having lived it herself? Okay, this is a question from Paola Camacho. What advice would students like to write about something that they have not lived? In the case of Paola, she was born and raised in the United States but her family is from Colombia and she feels Colombian and she has a very strong connection to Colombia. So her question is how can she write authentically without having lived the social processes, for example, of political countries in South America, specifically Colombia, but they speak a little more about South America. Interesting. I could tell Paola that the only way to write about something that you are passionate about and do not know is to write from the point of view of a person who is passionate about something and does not know it. I mean, the point of view that you have about that country, especially Colombia, is unique and it is yours. The point is that you have to discover it and discover it as the teacher Radrigana Calao said very well, writing it, writing it, putting it on the sheet, putting it on the paper. Surely, and this is already more technical, I could tell you, investigate everything you need to investigate, try to understand why you have that obsession, why you have that demon circulating that wants to appear and that wants to take place in the writing, investigate it. Nobody, no writer, no writer, when he feels writing, knows very well about what he is going to write and investigates it on that, writing it. At least for me, and I speak from my own perspective, writing is a way to reflect and to try to understand something that I do not understand. Normally, I finish and I understand less, because more questions have emerged, but that process is vital and I think that the only point of view possible is yours, you are only going to enter there and you are going to know it. There is no other way, investigate, investigate, investigate, write, consult sources, read books, try to know why that demon is you and you are going to answer the question, or maybe not, but it does not matter, you are going to appear another, you are going to understand some things, others not. The only way of writing about something that is passionate to you is a part of you, and you do not really have maybe experienced it, lived it, or know it fully, is to write from the point of view of someone who is passionate about something and does not know, has not lived it, has not experienced it. Your point of view and in relation to Columbia, as you were saying, is yours, it is unique, but you have to discover yourself, and that you do by writing and putting it on the page. Also, it is good to research everything that you can and try to understand the obsession you have, that demon that wants to take a place in your writing. No writer, when they sit to write, actually know very well what they are going to write about. They also investigate through writing, because writing is a way of reflection and a way of trying to understand what I do not. Nona says that once she finishes writing, sometimes she understands less and has way more questions, and that process is vital, because the only point of view that you have is yours, there is no other way. So research, write, research, research, read, find sources, and find out why that demon is within you. There will be a lot of questions, some of you will understand, some of you will not, and that's her advice on how it goes. We have another question, I don't know if maybe we can go with that one, or someone wants to say something else. ¿Alguien quiere decir algo más? No, no, no, no, dale tú, dale tú. ¡Canta darle el paso a los caballeros! ¡Gracias! ¡Gracias, dama! Yo abro la puerta de los autos. Vale. Yo también quiero dar un consejo a... ¿Cómo se llama, Paola? Paola. Paola. Paola. Quizás para hablar de un problema sólo se necesita un conflicto humano. Entonces, además de rescatar lo que te dice Nona, que si realmente acuerdo, que tienes que demuntarte, ¿por qué tienes ese fuego en ti? Y la investigación también es fundamental. También está la investigación humana. Encuentra que de seguro puedes tener alguien cercano a ti, colombiano, que tiene un dolor respecto a ese conflicto o movimiento social o lo que está pasando socialmente en Colombia. Y cuando encuentres conexión con ese conflicto humano y le des voz, vas a poder desarrollar y hablar también de ese contexto social. Sí, bajarlo, aterrizarlo, claro. Okay. So maybe to take on the problem, to talk about it, you only need to find a human conflict. For example, take what Nona said about finding the fire inside you and that research is completely fundamental. There's also human research, a human investigation. You may or must have someone close to you, someone from Colombia, that lives with pain related to a conflict, to a social movement, to history. And when you find a connection with that human conflict and give it a voice, you'll be able to talk about it and develop this idea. And Nona added as well and to land it on the ground. That's it. Flavia, do you want to say something? It's that you already advised her a lot. Just to put the spoon in, Noma, to tell her that one doesn't need to be raped to write a rape. You don't need to be tortured. So take advantage of that instance that most of the creators have had. To be free, to be free. The advice is to sleep and travel to Colombia. If you want to do something, let's say. If you want to do psychomagic. Because as Nona and Cristian said, they're looking for the conflict. So she can be who she wants to be, where she wants to be. So her nights live in Colombia. So one, Flavia will add from what everyone else said, that one doesn't need to be raped to write about rape. You don't need to be tortured to write about torture. You just have to take the chance to be free. Sleep, travel to Colombia, take on some psychomagical actions, find the conflict, because you can be whoever you want wherever you want. So maybe a piece of advice would be, live in Colombia in your head at night, somewhere else during the day. I want to say one last thing. It's in my conspiracy theories. Paola, we think, and I think I'm going to talk about the name of the group. We don't always write about what we know. We write just to try to know it. Exactly. That's my theory. Chanta, 2,523. No, it's Chanta. You can't repeat it. I'm going to say Chanta. I want to know how to say Chanta. There's a word, but I can't say it because it's not used anymore. Yes, no. When I say Chanta, I can say Chanta because I also say it in class, because they are theories that I invent. A theory of its own. A theory of its own. Yes. It also sounds very overwhelming. No. It's simply that I think that most of the dramaturges we write a lot of things we don't know. Dramaturges? Dramaturges. And I think that we just do it. We get into that world to get to know it. And do that exercise of empathy. It's beautiful what Pabola proposes. Because feeling Colombian, but living in the United States, wants to do an exercise of empathy with its roots, with its blood. She wants to know what's going on with her blood. Well, in fact, writing is a pathetic act. Okay. I found. Okay. So Cristiano has a very flimsy theory. That we playwrights write a lot about things we don't know. And we do it to get to know the world and to do that exercise and empathy. And what Pabola is proposing is beautiful because she wants to do an exercise in empathy with her roots. Okay. We have a last question from Natalia. She says, how do you think the spheres of power work today over our bodies? Both because of depression since since October 18. And second, because of the measures to curb the pandemic. She asked you about bodies because I really understand that writing is a possibility of expression of ourselves. How do you think the spheres of power work today over our bodies? Both one because of the pressure since October 18. And second, because of the measures to curb the pandemic. She asked about our bodies because she thinks that writing is a possibility of expression of ourselves. So the question is, how do you think the spheres of power influence and work over our bodies? Both because of the pressures since October 18. And the measures to curb the pandemic. And she is interested in bodies because she thinks that writing is something that exists in the body. Can you repeat it once more to understand it better? Excuse me. Yes. How do you think the spheres of power work over our bodies? Both because of the pressure since October 18. And the measures to curb the pandemic and the crisis in Italy. As a result of the question, she is interested in our bodies. What do you think? In that line, I am totally low when it writes. Low when it writes are one of the ways of writing. And everything is operating in the body. And I think that yes, everything is operating in the body. And it is transforming into hearts. That's why I can start. Nona. Please. Of course, without a doubt, what we have seen since October 18 in advance are dictatorial logics of repression to our bodies. Repression in all areas. The most violent, such as detention, torture. We have seen the violation of human rights ferociously. Since October 18. I imagine the news has come. I know that's how our young people have lost their eyes. I think that image of the Greek tragedy is the image that has brought us all. To understand how our bodies have been subordinated by power. It is the revolt. And then comes the... Sorry, Bruce. So first, I'm really sorry. So first we stand, I mentioned a bit about low and right, which are like hairs throughout Detroit, that everything operates in the body. And everything in the body, and everything is present in the body. And it becomes, which would have to be shells or to be armors. I think it's probably a double sort of a word. And then Nona was saying that there has been a very dictatorial logic, a very repressive logic that's gone to our bodies since October 18. From violence, such as detention and torture, or to other forms of violence in human rights since then. And that the news have probably gotten to over where you folks are, of how youth in Chile have lost their eyes because of repression. And it's an image that belongs to Greek tragedy. And it's a very graphic way of showing how our bodies have been subjected by power. And then in the pandemic, already in arbolando la crisis sanitaria, the power has organized us, and has recruited us, and has locked us up. And we're, imagine, we've been in a state of exception for months. Cristian already said it with a touch of care. We have many of our fundamental rights suspended months ago. And we're going to have a plebiscite in the middle of a state of exception too. So, trying to answer that question, how has power been exercised on our bodies, has power been exercised completely on our bodies. And in the pandemic we have talking bodies, bodies that somatize, bodies that don't sleep, bodies that we don't like disease, skin disease, people in Europe. We're completely crazy, our bodies are somatizing this imprisonment and this vulnerable, and this vulnerable. So, in terms of the pandemic and taking on like the broad scope of the sanitary crisis, power has organized, recruited us, locked us up. We've been living months of exceptionary states with military curfew, so lots of our fundamental rights have been suspended for months. And we're going to have to vote whether we're going to have a new constitution or not in the middle of this landscape. And how has power affected our bodies? Well, it has in a complete way. During the pandemic, we have bodies that are having psychosomatic reactions, bodies that aren't sleeping, bodies with a lot of pathologies regarding their skin. We have neurosis and the whole country has quite gone mad in a certain way through our bodies as a way of a somatic reaction to confinement. I find that the best responses from the world have been given. There are no more responses from the body. If you want to have other exceptions, take advantage of that as our friend Paola, Paola was the previous one, Paola was called. Yes, from the writing of Colombia, I find that it is an opportunity to write from the body now. You understand me? So from there it would be the only thing left because everything they have said is very, very wise. So take advantage of that dermatitis, the insomnia, I always remember that García Márquez, when he wrote 100 Years of Soledad, had an axilla disease and he put it on his character, José Aureliano Buendía, he put on the golondrinos. And when he finished writing the novel, César healed, he no longer had the axilla. So the grace of the writers can cure the rest of the world. It can cure the political power, it can cure the dictators, it can close them, it can make them sick. That's where it hurts the most. Talking about Paola and her questions, that this moment is an opportunity to write from the body. Take advantage of insomnia, take advantage of skin disease and rashes, and she gives an example about 100 Years of Solitude when García Márquez was writing, he had actually some kind of rash or infection in his armpits. And he decided to give his character, José Aureliano Buendía, the illness he was going through. And when he finished the book, he didn't have the rash anymore. So Fernánia says, give that sickness out to the world, that's what writers do. Make the people in power, make the people in politics, get skin rashes, make them sick, and just write from the body. Thank you so much for these wonderful questions and your wonderful answers. Paola has commented that your advice to her has made her cry, it's moved her so much. So thank you for all of that. I just want to point everyone, if you'd like to see more interviews with these and other playwrights, please go to the Interdram website where you can see a number of these interviews in Spanish and English as well as excerpts of their work. And I would like to give the final word to our playwrights and I'd just like to ask you, where are you taking inspiration from right now? What's feeding your souls in a way? La pregunta de cierre para las dramaturgias es como, qué le está alimentando el alma de qué están pensando, qué están escribiendo, something like that. I was trying to kind of put a word about it. What's power, Flavia? Ya, mira, yo... Sí, que estoy escribiendo, estoy pedazos de cosas por el momento tratando de articularla y estoy tratando de escribir una obra que se llama La última mujer. Por todo el proceso que está pasando el feminismo en este momento, digamos, porque yo no puedo dejar de ver a mi madre y su generación. Son parte de mí, son parte y hay que acogerla. Entonces estoy tratando de ver cómo articulo la nueva mujer que viene porque yo sé que viene una nueva mujer que ya está, digamos. Entonces, por eso le puse la última mujer. No sé, estoy armando este Frankenstein. Yo amo armar este Frankenstein primero. Entonces estoy como pedazos de ojos de mujeres, otro vaso de otra y viendo así como lo arbo el corazóncito porque hay que... Yo pienso que hay que renovar una generación o disculpar una generación que nos pasó, por lo menos a mí, mucho patriarcado y mucho machismo. Entonces ha sido un trabajo de entender que no lo hicieron de adrede. Lo hicieron porque no sabían hacer otra cosa o no sabían cómo hacerlo. Entonces son pedazos de últimas mujeres que van recomponiéndose. En eso estoy yo por lo menos. Qué lindo. Gracias. Acepto comentarios para la hora. So, Flavia, in regards to what's urgent and inspiring her right now, she's been trying to write some things like here and there. But she's working on a play called the last woman. And it's based on the process of what's happening with feminism right now she can't stop looking at her mother and that generation and take them into her world and her writing. The title relates to how to articulate a new woman as Flavia knows that there is one. There's one coming and in her writing she's building this sort of Frankenstein with her writing informally. And so she has little pieces of eyes and she puts together and there's a little heart. And she's trying to put together something related to the idea that one needs to forgive a generation of women that went through a lot of patriarchal structures and hurt without really meaning to they maybe didn't know better, or didn't know anybody else. And that has come through. Nona said it was a very beautiful idea that she was saying, and Flavia offered to show her the piece so Nona can give us some really good advice. That's great. Yeah, just in case you're wondering what the little exchange was about. No, I just wanted to add to what Flavia was saying. I feel that one of the most important feminist practices is precisely that. That of elevating our heritage and understanding it too. I mean, not questioning that past with the logic of the present, but understanding the logic of the past. And questioning that past from what the past was too. Those logic that we now question and everything. But we come from it. It's very beautiful. I think it's a very powerful feminist practice to understand that experience that we have inside. Because those women are in us too. It's very beautiful. I have a demon that always persists. And it's that great interrogation that is the memory. It's like Colombia for Paola. For me, the memory is that bit here that I'm always coming back because I don't understand it. And because I like to try to understand it. So I was now recording a lot day by day. A little recording what this crisis scenario is. A little tense, as I said before. Because as we live in a country where the memory is still a dispute. In Chile the memory is still a dispute. I have the fantasy of being able to contribute. So that in the future this piece of history is narrated by us. By us. To contribute a little to that story. From a record that I don't understand what it is. Because I don't know what it is. I just record. Then I'll see what I do with that. Or how it takes shape or whatever. But I want to try to have a record to contribute to the memory of the future. About this episode that we are living. And your novel. Your novel came out. Yes. It's part of that. Of those same things. To try to leave a little bit anchored. So. So. And no, no, in regards to what. I was talking about her play the last woman. She said that one of the most important feminist practices. Is take on what we've even heard. And not judge the past from the logic of the present. But interrogate the past from its own logics. Where we come from. And that's a very important feminist practice. To understand the women that are within us. And. In reverse to what she's doing right now. And her inspiration and her work. She is a demon that's always chasing her, which is memory. Which. Sorry. There we go. Which is like Columbia. To power that. So. To know that memory is the, if the cow or she returns to, and she tries to understand. And that's what she's doing right now. And that's what she's doing right now. So. Lately she's been registering the day to day scenario. Was in the crisis in that tentative way. She was talking about walking the dark. And that we live in a country where memory is really disputed. And she has a fantasy of. Gift of creating some kind of, you know, gift to the future. From this piece of memory that has been narrated to us. From her own narrative. I'm not really knowing what she's going to do with it right now. But the idea of registering is to give something to the memory of the future. And Flavia mentioned that there's a new novel by Nona. And Nona said that the new novel is also part of this process. And. I. I have a problem with concentration. So I'm writing six things now. I went to school here. But I can't. And I read books. I can't read a book at the same time. I read several. I can't. My mom fought against that and I couldn't. The first is a work around the figure of José Martí. In Chile is a stranger. And I say, I'm thinking about it. It's called. I dreamed with Martí. Hey, Cristian, I told you. Something was missing. It wasn't Martínez. We don't know him. No. And he has a language between standard. He has a lot of biography. In fact, I want to act there in that work. So he has a lot, a lot of biography. Mine. And he's also referring to José Martí. That's one. If you want, let's go with that first brush. Yeah, because the catalog. Yeah. So please. That has a really serious concentration problem. So he's writing three or six things. Seis. This. Six. Six. Okay. I heard correctly. So he's writing six things at the same time. He reads many books at the same time. It gave his mom a lot of trouble when he was younger. And the first thing he's reading is a play about José Martí. Who is pretty unknown in Chile, actually. And the title is called Sonico Martí. And people think he's talking about someone. That's the typo. And this show has a lot of plays. A lot with language. It has some stand up, some personal biography that he wants to put in. And he's actually thinking about acting in the show. La segunda. Que se es contar menos porque mi esposa me dice que no las ponte todas. All right. Me está diciendo. La coca. La segunda es se llama backstage y trata de unos sectores que vuelven de en confinamiento y es su primera obra, pero toda la obra sucede en camarines. Es camarines. La obra. La obra sucede en camarines. Y se llama backstage. Y ellos vuelven del escenario y se están juntando ahí mientras se maquilla y es su primera obra después de la pandemia. Se juntan por primera vez presencial. O sea, hacen una obra primera vez presencial. La obra sucede en camarines. The second that he's working on is called backstage and it's about actors coming back from confinement to their first live show. It all takes place in the backstage, specifically in the dressing rooms. La tercera es una obra que es por encargo de un amigo. Que me pidió una obra en torno a Violeta Parra y. Это es de un plazo que yo quiero. Toy queriéndola, pero en relación con su hermano, Nicannor. He's also writing a play. That was commissioned. It's about Violeta Parra and it's related to Violeta Parra's relationship with her brother Nicannor. So, we're at time. um talking about the theater as a gift this conversation has really been a gift and an inspiration to us so thank you thank you to bruce for your tremendous efforts at translation you did a wonderful job thanks for having me and thank you to everyone for being here so we'll see you soon thank you very much thank you