Staging Revolutionary France in Contemporary Costa Rica: Linda Berrón's Olimpia

ABSTRACT

The production of Linda Berrón's Olimpia: Drama en cuatro actos (1998) had a successful run in 2002 in San José, Costa Rica. This response to Olimpia, a play set in Revolutionary France and written by a Spanish-born playwright, indicates that it addresses issues relevant to contemporary Costa Rica. As an example of one type of intercultural theater, Olimpia profoundly explores the local culture where it was staged. A closer examination reveals that the foreign setting, with a particular focus on the historical figure Olympe de Gouges, allows Berrón to critique the concept and structure of power in contemporary Costa Rica. Via an intercultural approach, Olimpia establishes a dialogue with de Gouges's ideas and those of feminist theorists from other parts of the world. Also belonging to the genre of historical theater, the play encourages those fighting for gender equality to move beyond various divisions and recognize their solidarity.

Keywords:

• Linda Berrón
• contemporary Costa Rica
• gender equality
• historical theater
• intercultural theater
• Olimpia

Notes

1. See theater critic Andrés Sáenz's review of the play's October 19 performance (“Crítica de teatro: Profeta”) and also his review of it and other performances from the year 2002 (“Teatro 2002”). For more information about Catania's prize, see the article “Con nombre y apellido” by Camila Schumacher in La Nación.

2. Erika Fischer-Lichte classifies intercultural theater as the adoption of foreign elements in plays on three levels: “1) contenido o tema, 2) pautas literarias, y 3) medios de puesta en escena” (“El cambio en los códigos teatrales” 13).

3. See Villegas's description of “el teatro histórico de la posmodernidad” (244–48).

4. See the two interviews with Berrón that include information about her professional activities: Edward Waters Hood and “Linda Berrón: Mujer de letras tomar.” I have also interviewed Berrón.

5. See the studies about Olympe de Gouges by Montfort and Allison; Vanpée; Verdier; Scott; and Roessler.

6. Gamboa Hernández and Gurfinkiel Hermann have also researched Costa Rican women, including Acuña Braun, who have been declared “Distinguished Citizens of the Nation.”

7. Sagot cites the contributions to feminist studies by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Anne Phillips, Carole Pateman, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Margaret Fuller, Amelia Valcárcel, Rosemary Pringle, Michel Foucault, Nancy Hartsock, Virginia Vargas, Alejandra Massolo, and Zillah Eisenstein.

8. According to Sagot, the book includes authors from various professional and national backgrounds: “En él se escuchan las voces de académicas, activistas, militantes feministas, ex-guerrilleras, mujeres de partidos políticos y funcionarias de instituciones estatales, tanto de Costa Rica como de otros países de Centro y Latinoamérica” (16).