Boeing Boeing lands in Panama

PANAMA. Panamanian theatre ventures again into Broadway musicals.

Sara Macias, a seasoned actress with many plays under her belt, has been involved in the aeronautic industry for more than a decade. How to combine both art and air? Easy, Sara found this Broadway play about air hostesses and voila! Not only does she act in the play, but also serves as executive producer.

Boeing Boeing is a 1960s comedy based on an old Victorian play called Box and Cox. Though it had only a short run in New York, it ran for seven years on London stages.

Originally in French by Marc Camolleti, it tells the story of an urban gigolo juggling simultaneous relationships with three air hostesses who, thankfully, leave the country regularly for work. So while girlfriend A is in flight, girlfriend B is just taking off and girlfriend C is on her way up in the elevator. Hence the title of the show. All the lover has to do is keep an eye on the schedules and keep his maid informed. Things get complicated and funny when an old friend arrives and gets in the middle of everything.

As Panama is the hub of the Americas, the play translates very well to Panamanian audiences. It is a sophisticated farce with lots of physical humour and sexual innuendos.

Expertly translated from English by Victoria Greco and directed by Felix Gomez, it moves from the original Paris setting to Punta Pacifica. All mayhem and matchmaking, the play has a fast rhythm and will pack many laughs through the “slightly” stereotypical characters. The cast is all Panamanian, well-known actors: Tania Hyman, Iris De Arco, Ceila Gonzalez, Tete Olivella, Amit Nathani and, of course, the talented Sara Macias. The closing number is a musical arrangement by Luis Bonilla, who is currently studying in Puerto Rico with a scholarship from the Danilo Perez foundation. Performances at La Quadra theatre from July 14 to August 1. Three air tours above Panama will be raffled to the audience courtesy of www.volarenpanama.com. The play is in Spanish. For info: 391-7753/6780-3153.