Limited Engagement of «Perro Muerto» at Teatro ICTUS: A Generational Reflection on Trauma and Memory

Original article: Llegan a Teatro ICTUS solo 6 funciones de “Perro Muerto”: Una reflexión generacional sobre el trauma y la memoria

Following a successful run at the Teatro del Puente, the Nuevenoventa Company returns with Perro Muerto, the final piece in their Trabajos de Mierda trilogy.

This trilogy, consisting of Estos días, Mutuo (des)acuerdo de las partes, and now Perro Muerto, examines how work impacts human sensitivity within a context defined by precarity from various perspectives.

With dark humor and a critical lens, Perro Muerto shifts focus to the social dimensions of work: historical memory.

The narrative unfolds in Funeraria Vivaldi, a struggling family business on the brink of bankruptcy. The situation escalates when they receive an unexpected request from a former military officer, convicted of crimes against humanity, who has taken his own life to avoid justice, and whose daughter wants them to manage the funeral arrangements. The decision to accept or decline the request sets off a conflict that transcends the workplace and confronts the characters with the legacy of a past they did not live through, yet continues to impact them.

Perro Muerto combines tragic elements with comedy. The humor stems from absurdities and awkward moments, from those things said at inopportune times. It’s a laughter that teeters on the brink of tears. The staging meticulously crafts rhythm, silence, and gesture: every word, pause, and movement is finely tuned like a musical score.

“We stage the intergenerational weight of the dictatorship from an intimate and everyday perspective,” says Ignacio Peralta, the director and playwright. “We do not aim to represent trauma through direct violence, but rather through the marks it has left and what continues to operate silently in our decisions and bodies,” he adds.

With this production, Nuevenoventa brings their Trabajos de Mierda trilogy to a close, having previously presented their works in venues such as Teatro UC, ICTUS, Teatro del Puente, and Teatro Sidarte. Recognized for their contemporary dramaturgy, the company continues to tackle complex social themes with a fresh and relatable approach.

Perro Muerto will have a limited run of six performances at Teatro ICTUS, reuniting with the audience to further explore themes of memory, inheritance, and justice from an intimate, human, and profoundly relevant perspective.

“At ICTUS, we reaffirm our commitment to emerging companies that not only contribute to the memory work we advocate for in our space but also refresh the pathways for new generations crucial for connecting with contemporary audiences and aesthetic perspectives,” stated representatives from the cultural entity, inviting the community to come and see this unforgettable play.

The Citizen