Vicious Circle:
Paradigm and Mirror
of Current Mexican Society
From
French author Jean Genet’s Lou, Divine, and Seck in his novel,
Our-Lady-of-Flowers, to Argentinian author Manuel Puig’s
Valentín, Arregui and Molina in his novel, Kiss of the Spider
Woman, and Spanish playwright Clara Pérez’ five jailed women
in her play, We are already four of us, twentieth-century
literature is full of unforgettable characters painted within
the troubled and grey penitentiary universe.
Beto, Raúl, Héctor, and Gómez, heroes from Mexican novelist and playwright
José Agustín’s play, Vicious Circle, certainly belong
with this long list of magnificent losers. Beyond their insane
quarrels, silly debates, and short-sized, shared dreams in order
to decide which of them has to assume total responsibility
for the
three others
possibly to
get out
free, this
is the
logic and
the rule of the penitentiary world that José Agustín
invites us to discover with his chief (Mayor), his ‘legal
expert’ (Licenciado) and even his King’s fool
(Loco).
Although the story, per se, may seem plain and almost boring at
first sight, it is far from being the case. José Agustín excels
at describing the family, neighborhoods and regional backgrounds
of each and any of his urban jungle farcical representatives. In
a pointillist manner, the Mexican playwright builds a sad puzzle
of the 1970’s society of his country, where politicians and
police men abuse
simple citizens;
lawyers and
judges are
totally
corrupt; drug
dealers are
the true deciders; money buys death or freedom. In an
interview in 2013, José Agustín declared “Reality is the main
theme of my whole work.” Not only does he transcend it in
Vicious Circle, he puts it almost acceptable and certainly
unavoidable.
Written in the beautiful street language characteristic of the period,
replete with imagery, the American translator, Eric W. Vogt
perfectly succeeded in translating José Agustín’s play,
Vicious Circle from the Mexican culture to that of the USA,
such that it appears today neither dated, nor obsolete. At a
time when Mexican drug cartels continue to build and break state
governors and police chiefs; murder students, journalists and
professors alike; and openly laugh at the Mexican democratic
ideal, José Agustín’s acute theatrical vision is reminding us
that there is still a long way to go on the road toward
equality, justice, and freedom for all, as imagined by Emiliano
Zapata at the time of the Mexican Revolution.
ALAIN SAINT-SAËNS
Playwright, poet, and novelist
(Universidad del Norte, Asunción, Paraguay),
Author of
El Banquete de Tonatiuh.
