Synopses

Trick or Triumph: Deceit in a Woman's Hand

• The Old Jealous Man
• The White Apron
• Next in Line

The Old Jealous Man

The Jealous Old Man (El viejo celoso) was published in 1615 in a volume called “Eight New Comedies and Eight Entremeses, or One-Act Plays, Never Before Performed.” The topic of cuckoldry recurs in Cervantes’s works, notably in the novella The Jealous Man from Extremadura and in chapter 33 of the first half of Don Quijote, which recounts the story of the Curious Impertinent.

The Jealous Old Man tells the tale of Cañizares and his wife Lorenza. Due to his extreme jealousy, Cañizares locks his wife inside their house and prohibits anything—both animate and inanimate—from coming into contact with her. This leaves Lorenza extremely isolated and lonely. However, despite these obstacles, Lorenza —with her niece and neighbor— schemes to bring a man into the house. Together they use their wits to distract the jealous Cañizares.

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The White Apron

In this whimsical piece by Chilean playwright Sergio Vodanovic, the dynamics of social class and power are exposed in the relationship between a rich socialite and her female servant, during one day at the beach. The play ends with an intriguing and telling twist.

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Next in Line

In this short piece, Zoraida —a “successful” fortune teller— is totally taken by surprise by her next client, Paulita. At first Paulita seems to be skeptical, but through the twists and turns of the plot, the audience soon discovers that Paulita is more of a fortune teller than Zoraida is.

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