Ghosts of the River: Out of the Shadows 2013
Distributed by Shadowlight Productions, 22 Chattanooga St., San Franciso, CA 94114; 415-648-4461
Produced by Shadowlight Productions
Directed by Larry Reed and Leslie Dreyer
DVD , color, 34 min., subtitles in English and Spanish
Jr. High - General Adult
Immigration, International Relations, Latin America, Mythology, Theatres
Date Entered: 07/18/2014
Reviewed by Kathleen Spring, Nicholson Library, Linfield College, McMinnville, ORInspired by a visit to El Paso during which playwright Octavio Solís looked across the banks of the Rio Grande and saw people on the Mexico side looking back, the concept for the shadow play Ghosts of the River was born. Through this production, Solís wanted to (metaphorically) cross the river and commemorate all the people who have died trying to do so. Conceptualized as a performance for the Day of the Dead, Solís thought the project would be an opportunity to engage in shadow theatre as part of a more personalized project. Ghosts of the River: Out of the Shadows documents the process of crafting the production and includes interviews with the playwright, director, cast, and crew interspersed with scenes from the performance. (The full-length shadow play performance is included as a bonus feature on the DVD.)
One of the prime takeaways of the documentary is the notion that “there is no us and them; they’re all us and we’re all them.” Actors become sound effects operators, writers become puppeteers, and boundaries blur throughout the production. Reading about the struggles at the U.S.-Mexico border or seeing news stories on TV, audiences often forget that this political issue is ultimately about individuals and their stories. Herein lies the genius of a shadow play on this topic: shadow puppets allow for universality and for the audience to be able to place themselves into what is happening in the stories without the kinds of comparisons that often accompany other forms of live theatre.
The film is well edited and offers a nice balance of behind-the-scenes glimpses along with contextualization from the cast and crew. Theatre students or practitioners will find the backstage glimpses insightful, and they will appreciate the accompanying full-length performance as a contrast to the “how it works” viewpoints. Additionally, the film would be useful in U.S. and Latin American history or politics courses to spark discussion about immigration issues. Public libraries would also benefit from this film, particularly those serving communities with Latino populations.