For most of us, the words ‘pop art’ conjure up graffitied images of Ché Guevara and enormous coke cans. Fundación PROA’s new exhibition of Argentine and Brazilian pop art bears all the familiar hallmarks of the movement but relocates the focus to the southern cone, where familiar bold fonts and cartoon images meet a carnal, visceral movement rooted in the wounds of dictatorship and repression.

Claudio Tozzi & Roberto Jacoby interpret Che Guevara in 1968 (images courtesy of PROA)

This is a brutal yet beautiful exhibition, located deep in the heart of La Boca. Curated by Paulo Herkenhoff and Rodrigo Alonso it charts the links between Argentine and Brazilian pop art in the 1960s and showcases a movement which synthesises the political, social and cultural violence of the era as well as the roots of hope and revolution.

“Ideological clashes, military regimes, resistance struggles the dependence on foreign capitalism, urbanisation and the distinctive popular protestsi n these countries – this is the starting point for this fervent aesthetic and political study,” says Adriana Rosenburg, president of PROA.

“For the first time we are bringing together 59 artists from Brazil and Argentina and more than 150 works, photographs and documents from this movement.”

Western audiences have become increasingly inured to the stylised cartoon images and bold colours which define pop art and it’s easy to forget the political context behind the images which now adorn our aprons and sofa cushions.

For North American and British audiences in particular, for whom Lichenstein’s stylised spots reign supreme, the Coke cans and Ché Guevara images have lost their political and cultural reference points. Yet for Latin American audiences, these are powerful symbols of social and political change, and central to the pop art movement.

“South America produced two key symbols in these years, one local, in the form of Ché Guevara, who represents change, liberation and social revolution and another international, in the form of Coca-Cola which appears in general as a symbol of American imperialism and economic domination,” explains Rosenberg, in literature accompanying the exhibition.

'La civilización occidental y cristiana' by León Ferrari (images courtesy of PROA)

The first room of the show is dedicated to these more familiar manifestations of the movement. It is filled with irreverent subversions of political and cultural imagery. The middle of the stylish room is consumed by a giant model plane suspended from the ceiling with a crucified Jesus attached to its wings. This piece, “La civilización occidental y cristiana” by León Ferrari, is flanked by a series of images of the Kennedys and a playful coke bottle installation.

However the second room introduces us to the darker, carnal themes of Argentine and Brazilian pop art. This work in this space is body-centred and deeply political, with references to torture, repression and social pain. Antonio Dias’ ‘Glutāo’ is typical, depicting a blood red figure with a set of abstract organs on display, brining to mind disturbing hints of physical pain and punishment.

The centre of the room features two disturbing sculptures, one resembling a giant misshapen sack and the other a garish knot of intestinal woollen tubes. The colours of the works here are less brash than the familiar cartoon style and have been created in a range of textures and mediums. As well as flat poster style pieces jammy canvases, thick with murky oil paints line the walls.

Organs on display (images courtesy of PROA)

The third room continues this trend. Its walls are painted black and eerie noises drift from a video playing in the corner. This room features unsettling installations like Ivens Machado’s white tiled slab, plain apart from a light bulb in one corner and a bullet hole in the other with a dark trickle running from it. In another corner is a black veiled chair with spikes on the seat.

Violence – physical and political – lie close to the surface of these works and this movement in general. There are four rooms in total, displaying a wide range of styles and forms of pop art but all have been chosen to reflect these underlying themes and all display Argentine and Brazilian pop art at its politial best.

The exhibition has the added benefit of its PROA setting. An established art venue since 1996, the stylish building boasts panoramic views of La Boca’s industrial landscape and sprawling ports. The gallery is well known for its interesting take on contemporary Argentine art and also boasts an excellent library, bookshop and modern minimalist cafe with a roof terrace.

‘Pop…’ will remain at PROA until 16^th September when the exhibition will move to the Oscar Niemeyer museum in Curitiba. In 2013 the show will relocate to the Bergamo Gallery of Contemporary and Modern Art before ending up in the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro.

Entrance to the exhibition costs $12, for more information go to http://www.proa.org/esp/ or call 4104.1000

Megan Cassidy heads to Argentina’s 8th annual Tattoo Show to meet with organisers, a network of friends who have worked in the industry together for years.

Camera: Celeste Barrera
Editing: Luis Lopez

In Tipas Porteñas, photographer Beatrice Murch presents a side of Buenos Aires as iconic as Eva Perón or Jorge Luis Borges. They are canopies, they cut organic figures in the urban landscape, they are at times figurative, at times bare and leafless, at times exuberant dashes of colour, but they are ever present: the Tipa trees of Buenos Aires.

With the generous support of the Athena Educational Trust and Ambientate, Murch presents a dozen large scale digital prints at the Jardín Botánico from 21st November to 12th December 2011 with an opening party on Saturday November 26th.

UPDATE: The show has been extended through December 15 and there will be another party on Sunday December 11th from 1-3 pm at the Botanical Gardens.

Tipa treetops create an interesting pattern in the skyline.

Tipas can grow tall and narrow in the narrow streets of Palermo or they can broaden out to take up more space.

Small yellow tipa flowers blossom in the spring.

Tipas vary in their appearance in the summer and winter months.

Tipas and jacarandas blossom in the springtime in Plaza San Martín to create a beautiful contrast of purple and green.

The crescent moon makes an appearance among the leaves.

After a good spring rainstorm, the tipa flowers create a blanket of yellow underneath.

Tipas create an interesting background in the ever-present political life of porteños, in this case a protest in 2008 in support of 'El Campo'.

Tipas frame the Congress building in Plaza del Congreso.

Tipas Porteñas at Jardín Botánico

The Classic Auto Show came to the San Isidro Hippodrome over the long-weekend and this year’s event was billed as a tribute to Juan Manuel Fangio. The area auto clubs showed off their collections of Jaguars, Fords, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Mercedes-Benzes, Renaults, Volkswagens, Fiats, Porsches and Citroëns. The event also celebrated the historical anniversaries of Mercedes Benz (125 years), Chevrolet (100 years) and Jaguar E-type (50 years). Collectors and enthusiasts were able to stroll through the tree-lined paths to inspect the cars, peruse vintage cars both on display and sometimes for sale and pour over the parts for sale at the ‘Auto Jumble’. Photographer Beatrice Murch captured the scene and brings a slice of this life to our readers.

A vintage enthusiast starts up his classic Indian motorbike as the crowd of onlookers watch.

This Jaguar from the 1930s still displays the SS emblem.

The Indian figurehead sits proudly on the front of the impeccably restored motorcycle.

A woman in a fur coat sits in the cockpit of the classic Corvette Stingray.

A couple checks out the chasis of old racing cars.

An energetic and high-endurance man spins the back wheel to get the engine to turn over as the crowd watches and waits for the click and growl of the old machine.

Citroën up close and personal.

Children stare at the strange little three-wheeled car from BMW.

A young man helps clean the classic VW bug in the late afternoon.

Cars for sale line the off-shoot road and tempt enthusiasts.

The Fiat and the Citroën show off their compact engines.

This One-cylinder three-quarter horse powered Benz from 1886 shows how far cars have developed from their inception 125 years ago.

'Michelin Men' are on display for sale at the 'Auto Jumble' at the end of the show.

All types of hubcaps can be had at the 'Auto Jumble' to complete your vintage car's look.

All sorts of antique auto memorabilia could be had at the 'Auto Jumble'.

Step inside El Cubo theatre and you instantly feel miles from the Almagro street that surrounds it. The building is single-storey and arranged in a square around a courtyard covered in gravel chips that makes you feel you’re walking across the bottom of a fish tank. Chairs and tables are stylishly silver and brick walls are low-lit. It’s a combination of minimalism and cosiness that makes for a great small theatre space.

Capricho Tango (Photo: Damián Nussembaum)

‘La Musa del Capricho’ (The Muse of Caprice) is a tango show with a difference. Forget slicked back hair, crisp suits and serious expressions; this 90-minute spectacle brings out a cheeky, fun side of tango you never knew existed. The small cast is comprised of dancers from the DNI-Tango dance studio, founded in 2005 by Pablo Villarraza and Dana Frígoli. DNI teachers see the body as a vehicle for expression rather than just aestheticism. They employ the Conceptual Tango Technique (TTC in Spanish) – a combination of yoga, biomechanics, contemporary and classical dance forms. All of these influences become evident when watching this show.

Fresh from a 2010 tour that included Sweden, Italy, Germany and the States, ‘La Musa del Capricho’ “dwells on those small, seemingly casual details that distance us from some people and bring us closer to others. Every day, in all things, we are moving towards somewhere. This piece hints at the signs of this permanent journey.” If this sounds somewhat cryptic, it is reflected in the ambiguous yet compelling plot, which opens with the Spanish lines: “Nobody knows that I am waiting for you…that I’m very far away.” The action goes onto present various dance-filled encounters that take you through situations of passion, betrayal, sweetness and risk.

Capricho Muse (Photo: Damián Nussembaum)

The opening scene is reminiscent of Grease’s ‘Summer Lovin’, with a guy and girl both excitedly talking to their friends about the other. Another scene centres round a fruit and vegetable stall and makes the audience laugh out loud. Dana Frígoli, co-founder of the DNI-Tango studio and producer/choreographer of this show, appears as the female protagonist (the Muse of Caprice referred to in the title), caught in a love triangle between two men.

In ‘La Musa del Capricho’, my desire to see some great tango, pure and simple, was more than satiated. Tight and impressive sequences are danced by several couples simultaneously, multiplying the wow factor several times over. In one scene two guys dance together, which harks back to the origins of tango as practiced amongst men waiting outside brothels. The strong tango flavour is infused with interpretative dance (think twirls, lifts and a freer style), made memorable by vividly-coloured dresses and bare feet. Throw in a solo, some lines of poetry, dramatic monologues and a few comic conversations and you have a spectacle that packs more punch than a traditional tango show.

As the performance drew to a close, the audience went wild with rapturous applause and a standing ovation, both normally reserved for much bigger theatres and higher-profile shows. But here it was entirely deserved. The dancing was sublime and the action both intriguing and entertaining. Head down on a Thursday evening to see for yourself. You’d be a fool to miss it.

Want to escape the heat? What better place than a cool, air-conditioned art space? But the number of galleries – and the vast amount of exhibitions on display in them – can sometimes be overwhelming. Ines Huergo breaks it down for you, with the Top 5 art shows to catch in December.

1. Television. Di Tella and an episode in the history of TV at Fundación Telefónica

Televisión at Espacio Fundación Telefónica

During the 1960s, DiTella Institut was the venue were avant-garde artists were producing and showing their work.

At DiTella the artists would discuss how news was impacting society and how the viewer was part of the construction of the news. They would also assess the possibilities of transmitting artistic experimentation on TV. Artists would identify themselves with TV personalities. TV was impressing social imagery.

The show at Telefonica Foundation depicts the different projects in which TV and art came together at DiTella between 1965 and 1969. It also includes the work of three contemporary Argentine artists, especially done for the occasion: Jorge Macchi, Andrés DiTella and Miguel Mitlag.

Fundación Telefónica, Arenales 1540. Until 18th December. Monday-Saturday 2-8.30pm. Free admission.

2. Nueva Figuración at MNBA

Between 1961 and 1965, four Argentine artists – Romulo Macció, Ernesto Deira, Jorge de la Vega and Luis Felipe Noé – were as a group questioning traditional painting and the meaning of it as an art piece. During those five years, the four artists took the name New Figuration, like the avant-garde movement in Europe and the US. New Figuration was a way of expressing chaos.

A show of New Figuration today at Museum of Fine Arts celebrates the 50 years since the group’s first show and the 200th anniversary of the May Revolution.

Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (MNBA), Av. del Libertador 1473. Until 16th January. Tuesday-Friday 12.30-8.30pm, Saturdays and Sundays 9.30am-8.30pm. Free admission

3. Jorge Sarsale at Centro Cultural Borges

Jorge Sarsale at Centro Cultural Borges (photo/CCB)

For several years Luis Felipe Noé and Eduardo Stupía, two of Argentina’s greatest living artists, have been thinking about lines in drawing. At Centro Cultural Borges a monthly cycle has started, which they named La Línea Piensa (The Line Thinks). Each month they select an artist whose work exposes the subject.

For their December show they thought on line as paper and chose Jorge Sarsale as an exponent of a unique cut and paste artwork.

Centro Cultural Borges – Sala 10, corner of Viamonte and San Martín. Monday-Saturday 10am-9pm. Free admission.

4. Group show at Fondo Nacional de las Artes

Several Argentine contemporary artists are showing at Fondo Nacional de las Artes. The curatorial decision of bringing these artists together in this show is not clear, but it is clear that their work, each one in particular, is worth the visit to El Fondo.

Fondo Nacional de las Artes, which is the national fund towards the support of the arts, is at the core of the Illuminated Buenos Aires, only two blocks away from Manzana de las Luces and the Colegio Nacional de Buenos Aires.

The artists are Marcelo Pombo, Diego Bianchi, Federico Lanzi, Joaquín Boz, Rosalba Mirabella, Juan Reos, Adrián Villar Rojas, Martín Legón, Susana Saravia and San Poggio. Take your time looking at Villar Rojas, a very young artist who creates small worlds, which are too full. Pay special attention too to Pombo (and look for more of his pieces, a sharp master in painting).

Fondo Nacional de las Artes, Alsina 673, Monday-Friday 10am-4pm. Free admission.

Marta Minujín, now at MALBA (photo/Matías Roth)

5. Marta Minujín at MALBA

More than a hundred pieces by one of Argentina’s most celebrated artists, who has been producing art since 1960, are on exhibition at MALBA.

Marta Minujín’s work is provocative. Since the early times Minujín has been an avant-garde artist. Her work comprises new realism, Pop art, conceptual art, performance, happenings, mass media art, video art, psychedelic and action art.

This show at MALBA brings together a first retrospective on an artist that incarnated liberty.

Malba, Figueroa Alcorta 3415. Until 7th February. Thursday-Monday 12-8pm, Wednesday until 9pm, Tuesday closed. Admission is $20, Wednesdays $8.

Chataka Tap (Photo: Lautaro Aránguiz)

Every third Friday of the month at the Buenos Aires Club, in the chic and bohemian neighbourhood of San Telmo, a tap dance group under the name of Chakatá provide an electrifying late-night alternative to this city’s stereotypical staple of Tango in an authentic setting.

The atmosphere is incredibly relaxed, even to the extent that the dancers prefer to call their show a “jam session”, where different musicians and dancers can come together and express themselves freely in an informal setting. Nothing about Chakatá’s jam sessions is dressed up to be more than it is, as Rosario Ruete, one of the four dancers in the troupe tells me “Argentina is not a place for improvisation”.

The tap sessions are comprised of short segments called bloques which provide the audience with short, powerful bursts of spontaneous dance, in between which there are numerous opportunities to make a quick dash to the bar. This structure of the show also helps dispel any ideas that you are going to be stuck for two hours watching the same routine of tap.

The rhythms and routines that the four dancers produced were spellbinding to say the least and given the fact that the jam sessions are 100% improvised, the unison with which they performed was just short of telepathic. Solo dances were performed with confidence and dance-offs were also incorporated into the performance to help the energy and heat between the women materialise. In short, Chakatá have managed to keep every quality of tap faithful to improvisation whilst maintaining a professional finish. 

Chataka Tap (Photo: Lautaro Aránguiz)

Every creative effort has been made to bring something lively and fresh to the jam sessions. Rosario told me that the group is “trying to make every tap session different by giving each tap session a theme”. In the past, the theme of the tap session has ranged from clowns, allowing the dancers to experiment with costume to folkloric Argentine music bringing an unmistakable Argentine flavour to the North-American dance form. The theme of the night that I went to was electronic music, which gave the dance a 21st century aesthetic that showed the audience the versatile, ever-evolving nature of tap. Rosario believes that the idea behind the sessions is “to release yourself from the classical stereotype of tap dance so that you can dance with any rhythm or musical genre.”

As is poor custom in big productions, musicians seem to get forgotten in the background until the final bow when actors and dancers cue applause for them. This was not the case with Chakatá. Musicians were just as involved in the spectacle for the audience as the dancers, making the jam session as much about the music as it was about the tap, inciting a real sense of camaraderie. The band included a great mix of trumpeters, saxophonists, guitarists, percussionist, vocalists and keyboardists that in my view held the key to unlocking this new dimension for tap troupes. The ensemble all performed harmoniously together and musicians got their own chance at solos as the dancers came to jam beside them, often providing the percussion with their lightning-quick feet.

The Buenos Aires Club is a perfectly comfortable venue that has a sort of rough and ready appeal to it. The only negative point that comes to mind is that the air conditioning is very much cranked up to full, offering a bit too much of a cooling respite to the heated atmosphere created by the dancers. The bar staff are friendly and efficient, pricing for alcoholic as well as soft beverages is reasonable and everyone endeavours to make sure that you enjoy your time with Chakatá. Highly recommended.

Perti Ilusionista (Photo courtesy of Ezequiel Pertierra)

“Okay would you cut the cards for me please?”

I gingerly shuffled the deck. And then again.

I’d never played a card trick or even met a magician before, let alone sat down to interview one. With the unexpected baiting each whisper of the shuffling card deck, Ezequiel Pertierra just had one question for me: “Is this your card?”

The 27-year old magician, more commonly referred to by his stage name, Perti, has performed in front of Buenos Aires audiences both on stage and on television in shows like ‘Big Brother’ and also with various Argentine television icons.

“I love the stage,” said Pertierra. “I was a singer in some rock bands when I was younger, I like stand up comedy, writing songs —expressing emotions in art.”

Ezequiel was literally ‘enchanted’ from an early age by famous illusionists like David Copperfield and Harry Houdini.

“Here we had them as TV specials,” he reflected with a smile. “And I felt amazed by them — their stage presence, the music, lights and sounds. It impressed me.”

Pertierra discovered his love for magic, illusions and deceptively slick slight-of-hand tricks.

“When I was 15 or 16, two or three of my friends who went to the United States came back with some magic tricks,” he laughed. “They showed them to me when I wasn’t a magician, and now it is the hardest to impress them!”

Since his beginnings in 1998, Ezequiel performed mostly for family and friends when he began to study to be a professional magician at the school of Boridi and Alex, two known magicians at the time. His pursuit of the profession eventually led him to follow Boridi to the Emanuel and Boridi School of magic.

“My grandmother also met a guy who studied at a magic school here, so she sent me there!”

Although it looks like all fun and games, Ezequiel admits that learning to perform magic is not as easy as he makes it look. One of the most difficult parts about magic is mastering the dexterity behind the sleight-of-hand techniques, and fluidity that makes his optical illusions and close-up magic possible. Perti is also famous for his Houdini-esque escapist illusions, which he executes with the greatest of ease and a little comedy on the side.

Coupling his love of performing with his passion for igniting amusement, Pertierra began entertaining his family and friends as he mastered the magician’s touch. He began expanding his routine, his audience, and even experimenting with magic a different language.

Perti working his magic onstage (Photo courtesy of Ezequiel Pertierra)

“I have studied English all my life, I once performed magic for my entire school in English,” he smiles at the memory. “Now I have had a lot of experience at corporate events doing close up magic for CEOs from other countries who we speak to in English.”

Pertierra feels that being a magician, it being an artist before anything else. A great deal of the magic is in his presentation, the audiences’ experience — the trump card in his magician’s arsenal.

“The presentation defines the trick — not just the lights, and the sounds,” he said leaning forward in his chair, “but in the way you perform, too. My style is funny…I like to make people laugh, great illusions and escapes — big surprises.”

My comical and ambitious host delights in the mystery of magic and the excitement of the unknown, nurturing his dream of one day performing in English at the famous Magic Castle in Hollywood. A magician of many interests and ideas, he also divulges about his other passion, psychology.

Pertierra is also currently studying at the University of Belgrano in psychology. In a couple months, he will be a full-fledged psychologist and would like to begin working in counseling and motivational corporate psychology. Even though he knows that his gift for magic is his true calling, he plays with the ideas of one day fusing his two loves into a mind-bending act.

“I would like to combine magic and psychology to create a new perspective,” he said, fully of energy discussing plans for more elaborate illusions that involve just as much mental teasing as they does magic. “After all, magic has a lot to do with psychology!”

In accordance with rule number one of the Magician’s code, Perti will never reveal his secrets. Only the future will unveil what he’s got up his sleeve next. The only clue he leaves is that it will be more intrigue inducing and bewilderingly fun than before— it won’t be your typical magic show.

The multi-talented and multilingual magician is self-managed and performs mostly in private events for parties along with a variety of social venues, social gatherings, retirement homes and the occasional nightclub. One chance to see him perform live may be all it takes to cast your Buenos Aires experience under a magic spell.

As the advertisements of ‘Bella y Bestia’ slowly peel away, cheeky big white Q’s smothered in bright orange fur appear pasted on billboards around town.

‘Avenida Q’ (Avenue Q), the musical has arrived.

With very little knowledge of the show before going in, I questioned what was in store for me. However, puppetry, sing-songs, a colourful cast, a light-hearted storyline; all seemed like perfectly innocent reasons to finally go and see this well famed comedic musical.

The story is basically about a bunch of youngsters all living on the same street in the poorer estate of a city. We learn about their lives, and the trials and tribulations that come across their path. It is not told however, in the fashion in which you would think.

Avenida Q (deemed as “off-beat” as it is not a traditional musical) has been sweeping the largest stages of the world since its debut on Broadway almost a decade ago.

The original book written by Jeff Whitty, alongside the shows’ creative team, consisting of Robert Lopez (music, lyrics, and animation design), Rick Lyon (puppet design) and Jeff Marx (lyrics and music) made for a dream team it seems. Over its time on stage, it has received three Tony awards (including Best musical, musical book, and original score). It has also featured appearances from many famous faces, particularly in its stint on Broadway, such as Tom Hanks, Glenn Close, and Peter Gallagher amongst others.

English-speaking audiences get it; the musical is already a success. What caused me to ponder though, was how were they going to transmit a story about New Yorkers (which used many colloquial jokes and quirks), into Spanish whilst making it relatable to the Argentine audience?

Apparently it was “no easy task”, as one of the musical’s directors, Natalia del Castillo mentioned: “We had to be very careful how we translated it. We had to find a way to break even between neutral Spanish and Argentine lunfardo without making it sound too vulgar, but comprehendable for foreigners too,” she said.

In terms of themes and jokes in the show, they more easily transferrable across cultures. There is talk of sex, internet porn, being broke, identity crisis’, alcoholism, drugs, homosexuality- all communicated across through singing puppeteers prancing about stage. Most of the action would be able to speak for itself.

It wasn’t just the use of language which was set to be a challenge, but also the translation of the characters onto the BA stage. One which caught my attention was the use of Gary Colemans’ character, who plays a caretaker on the Avenue. Ok for the generation who was able to see ‘Blanco y Negro’ (arguably Colemans’ most famous role, in ‘Diff’rent Strokes’) and know who he is, but for those who don’t, it could cause confusion.

Castillo mentioned, “It was a hard decision to know what to do with Coleman.” She went on to say, “other Spanish adaptations had totally renamed the character and tried to relate him to a local celebrity, but somehow it didn’t add up, and the reception from the audience was not great,” she said, referring to the Mexican version, in which ‘Carlitos’ replaced the role of Gary.

Manuel Victoria, 18-year-old actor from Dominican Republic, who makes his debut as Coleman expressed, “it shouldn’t matter whether people know who my character is or not. The point is that they find him funny.”

So, what’s the verdict?

In terms of the music and content of the play, it was generally quite shocking really, but nothing The Indy couldn’t handle.

Equipped with large ‘Sesame Street’–esque fuzzy felt puppets, the music and story ran somewhere between ‘Team America’ and the musical ‘Rent’. This was definitely no classic ‘Punch and Judy’  puppet show.

In the musical ‘The Lion King’, the actors become the animal their costume suggests. In contrast, Avenida Q shows us that  the character has two faces, a puppet face and a real one, creating a sort of double identity.

Mariano Chiesa who plays the main protagonist Princeton and his alter ego Rod, blew me away with his performance. I wasn’t sure whether to look at his face or the puppet; it all sort of blended into one after a while. His command over the voice changes between characters was executed with pure skill, and I suspect it comes from his vast performance history as a specialist voice actor.

Another stellar performance was that of Melanie Lenoir who plays Lucy (“the slut” in the original) and Kate, two very different characters. Her use of the stage as Lucy was graceful but smouldering at the same time. It is understandable to see why she has been tipped for the new version of ‘Chicago’ coming soon to BA.

After I got over the fact that there were larger than life puppets leaping around stage attached by the arms of their actor, and aurally digested the cast singing about the marvels of internet porn; I was able to pay a bit more attention to the rest of the actors. The cast as a whole was electrifying. I am not 100% convinced that it is as outright as the original on Broadway, but it’s definitely highly entertaining.

To sum it up:

Avenida Q is not for the closed-minded.

There are scenes of a sexual nature.

Go, have fun, but it’s advisable not to take your children.

Sit back and enjoy a paramount interpretation of this exceptional Broadway hit.

The Argentina Independent says: Thumbs up.

Photo courtesy of Señales de Humor

Been in Buenos Aires for a few months now, reasonably confident of your Spanish and tired of nights out that don’t end until the sun comes up? Seen a few tango shows, maybe even a couple of plays and looking to be entertained in a slightly different manner? Simply curious about what the hell it is porteños find funny? If your answer to these questions is a resounding yes, an evening with the guys (and girl) of Señales de Humor might be just what you’re looking for.

Señales de Humor is a group of four Argentine comedians, from diverse artistic backgrounds including radio, theatre and television. Anyone familiar with traditional stand up comedy will recognise the format; with one comedian acting as MC for the night, and one guest comedian, each gives a fast-paced monologue directly to the crowd, with no pretensions of the “fourth wall” present in traditional theatre. The audience are there to be interacted with, to share in the jokes and on occasion become the subject of the jokes. The concept is relatively new in Argentina; there are no household names of comedy along the lines of Richard Pryor, Bill Hicks and Chris Rock, and the genre is still very much in its infancy.

The show takes place in Terraza Teatro, a small performance venue/bar in the Paseo Plaza entertainment complex. This allows for an intimate atmosphere between performer and audience, with those at the front sitting right at the comedians feet. For me this is the ideal set up for a stand up comedy set- having experienced comedy events at larger clubs and arenas, these without fail lack the atmosphere of a small club no matter how talented the performer. The group has built up a strong word of mouth following around Buenos Aires as a result of continuous, bi weekly performances over the past months, and this dedication has paid off; there is barely a free seat.

The comedy itself is fast-paced and fluid, with no let up in the flow of jokes; as one performer is leaving the stage the MC takes over, keeping the audience laughing with his own material. There is certainly a higher energy and more of a commitment to spectacle than found at US or British comedy events. Each comedian takes to the stage to a background of blaring music, and throws themselves into a manic dance corresponding to the music’s genre. Some of the performances we were treated to included an enthusiastic air guitar solo to a rock, some reggaeton grinding and an impromptu salsa duet between the solo female performer and the MC.

Photo courtesy of Señales de Humor

Such enthusiasm and performance values were certainly entertaining, and helped put the audience in a relaxed, enjoyed frame of mind. The comedy itself was also very enjoyable; every performer clearly had excellent comedic timing, the material was presented well and throughout every attempt was made to keep the pace up, maintaining the audience’s attention. Of particular note was German Ven’s self-deprecating routine about his baldness, detailing the difficulties and confusions such a conditions provokes- such as regularly being confused with Austin Powers character Mini-Me- with good humour and energy.

In general however what detracted from the performance slightly was the material. The group itself cite people such as Chris Rock and Bill Hicks as comedic influences. There was little evidence of this as the performance unfolded. People like Rock and Hicks, and most of the premier comedians of the English-speaking world excel by tackling the controversial polemic issues of the day, such as race, drugs, crime and politics. The material may often be polarising, borderline offensive but it provokes a reaction, and this is the first objective of any performer.

In comparison the subjects covered by Señales de Humor were rather tame and dated, neither attempting nor managing to break new ground. Many familiar bases were covered: problems with lateness and waking up in the morning, differences between men and women, dealing with Argentine chamuyos (cheesy pick up lines) and problems in the bedroom. This by no means detracts from enjoyment of the evening; but it does mean if you are looking for edgy, controversial comedy you may need to look elsewhere.

Overall the energy, enthusiasm and spectacle of the Señales de Humor team make their show a great way to spend a night. The Spanish is fast-paced and colloquial, but those with a decent base in the language and who have accustomed themselves to the porteño accent will not have too much trouble following events. It is important however to restate that those looking for something new and groundbreaking in the genre of stand up comedy will go home disappointed; the material ensures that the show always veers towards light entertainment over hard hitting social commentary in it’s pursuit of laughs.

Señales de Humor is performed weekly at Terraza Teatro in the Paseo LA Plaza entertainment complex, Corrientes 1660. At the time of writing schedules were due to change slightly, please check the listings at www.senalesdehumor.com.ar (In Spanish) for further updates. The group also offer classes in stand up comedy; again check the website for further details.