Noviembre, a Spanish film by Achero Manas revolves around an
idealistic street theatre troupe, which wrestles against its existence against
several odds – social, political and financial in nature. The story has been
presented in the form of a retrospective; a fictitious documentary where some
elderly members of the group share the memories of their youth.
Together, these members tell the story of their friend
Alfredo, whom they met at a drama school in Madrid. A young, bright and
talented boy, his thoughts were wavering, creative, idealistic and liberal. He
was disappointed with the pedantic ways of the drama school which hindered free
flow of ideas. He believed drama to be a form of art that needed participation
of both the performers and the spectators; and interaction between them. His
concept of theatre extended beyond the stage and came face to face with the
people – It came straight from the actors’ heart and connected with the people.
So, Alfredo came up with his own theatre group “Noviembre”.
He and his friends performed outdoors, in the town square, in streets, parks,
provoking people with their acts of demons, lunatics and so on. They swept
their viewers away with laughter, tears, fear and surprise.
The story, on one hand, depicts the struggle of Noviembre
with a shoestring budget; and legal problems, bans, police arrests kept them
busy. On the other hand, it shows their
internal ideological conflicts and problems in their personal lives.
Complications arise when money comes into play, widening the chasms in the
group.
The film ends with a perfect climax where Alfredo, cornered in personal as well as professional life, sacrifices himself for Art, for Art always triumphs! He is shot dead by the police in his last show.
The film ends with a perfect climax where Alfredo, cornered in personal as well as professional life, sacrifices himself for Art, for Art always triumphs! He is shot dead by the police in his last show.
A dynamic story, combined with smart story-telling,
Noviembre is a treat for the eyes. The film lets us relive the true essence of
street dramas and aptly reveals the revolutionary potential of theatre, how it
can arouse one’s conscience, and spark a change in the era when rapid commercialisation
of Art had eaten away its true spirit.
The actors had been well cast, and Oscar Jaenada was
flawless in the shoes of Alfredo. With the message, the film packed moments of
laughter, drama, sorrow, romance and didn’t fail to leave a little for the
imagination of the audience.
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