The acclaimed work "The Conversion of the Devil" by the National Theater Company (CNT) of the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature (INBAL) returns to the Hector Mendoza Hall. The play had a successful premiere at the Juarez Theater in Guanajuato and a memorable season at the Julio Castillo Forest Theater in 2023.
The narrative of the play transports the audience to colonial Mexico, where theater becomes a key tool for evangelization. Through a fusion of liturgical songs and pre-Hispanic dance, "The Conversion of the Devil" reveals the tensions between indigenous culture and the imposed religion, raising questions about the authenticity of the conversion and the persistence of ancestral traditions.
"The smooth evangelization at the hands of the friars is, to a large extent, also a myth," reflects Martin Acosta, the director of the play. His goal is to "revisit the baroque evangelizing theater as a meeting-dismeeting point of ideologies and a people that accepts a new and unique god."
The cast of "The Conversion of the Devil" includes prominent members of the National Theater Company, such as Marco Antonio García, Erando González, Zaide Silvia Gutiérrez, and other talented artists. The play has been nominated for Play of the Year at the Metro Awards 2024 and the ACPT Awards, challenging traditional narratives and exploring the complexities of national identity.
The dramaturgy by Carlos Pascual and the stage direction by Martin Acosta are part of the CNT’s Mexican Art Theater program, which seeks to investigate the identity of Mexican theater through new dramaturgies centered on the country’s legends and myths.
"The Conversion of the Devil" presents fierce competition between Dominicans and Franciscans, who struggle to implement the best theatrical strategy to convert the population of New Spain to Catholicism, using the stage as a battlefield of ideologies. Carlos Pascual, the author of the text, underscores the importance of questioning the myths surrounding the spiritual conquest of Mexico.
The play has been recognized with six nominations for the Metro Awards, covering categories such as Best Play and Best Costume Design. The season will take place from October 25 to November 24 and from December 5 to 15, 2024, with performances scheduled for Thursdays and Fridays at 8:00 PM, Saturdays at 7:00 PM, and Sundays at 6:00 PM in the Hector Mendoza Hall. Admission is free with prior registration to the public email of the CNT.
