 | Portrait of a Family * On Xcaret Park`s Ball Game Court 20 Varos presents Retrato de familia [Portrait of a Family] **Street plays as photo ops By Alejandra Flores 20 Varos, a group of street players from Playa del Carmen, has joined the roster of talented artists in the 3rd Life and Death Traditions Festival, Xcaret 2008 with two plays, Portrait of a Family and Hanal Pixán: Death Lives On, Yesterday and Today. Comprised of clog dancers, acrobats, dancers, actors and clowns, the troupe, directed by Olliver Bellanger, ably fills the scenarios prepared by Xcaret Park for the Life and Death Traditions Festival with surprises and revelry. Thus, the Ball Game Court will host a singular dance of skeletons that remind us of the traditional handcrafted shadow boxes depicting scenes of daily life. In Portrait of a Family, the Skeleton Bride and Groom, Lady Death, Death of a Revolutionary, some skeletons on bicycles, the classic drunk and, of course, the village band are posed in vignettes against a fabulous background of paper cutouts. After the expected flash of a camera, the party continues and the audience can join the dance to the tunes of joyous mortuary music. This tireless troupe will also depict Hanal Pixán: Death Lives On, Yesterday and Today on the Esplanade and at La Isla Restaurant with giant puppets that will use poetry to take the audience down a delightful path that fuses pre-Hispanic legends with modern traditions. Humor and mystery blend to take the audience on a trip to the depths of the Underworld to understand the profound meanings behind the altars and offerings decorating Mexican homes each year during the Day of the Dead festivities. Portrait of a Family will be presented on the Ball Court October 30th and 31st and November 2nd , while Hanal Pixán: Death Lives On, Yesterday and Today will be staged on October 30th, November 1st and 2nd on both the Esplanade and at La Isla Restaurant.
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