Adriana Vasquez, Andras Orioli, Daniela Donyae and Alejandra Zapico from Broken Teléfono | Photo by Dianne Aguilar
Presented by Dead Mariachi Teatro
You don’t go to Broken Teléfono for nuance. You go for the attitude. You go to see sexy people being ridiculous. And these people are, indeed, very sexy and quite ridiculous. The company has dubbed this a staged telenovela and they deliver on the campy drama, though the performances are considerably hokier, intentionally so, like a pantomime of a Spanish soap opera. The characters will straight-up direct some of their sass right out at the audience and we’re expected to respond!
Brian Quintero’s play was originally written for The King Black Box’s 24-hour Play Festival. With some dramaturgical embellishments by Dianne Aguilar and Aurora McClennan, director Aguilar brings this zany scenario to a wider audience with this expanded Fringe version. And I certainly had a great time with it.
Having become obsessed with her new, outspoken Latina friend Sabrina (Adriana Vasquez) and her badass older sister Raquel (Alejandra Zapico), Chloe (Daniela Donayre) leans on them to help her get over some guy who ghosted her. When an undeniably hot sleazebag appears on the scene— Daniel? Daryl? Drew? (Andras Orioli)—the situation escalates outrageously.
It took me some time to get fully on board. Early on, I was alienated by the nudge-winky performance style and self-conscious nods to the audience, but when I realized I was being invited into the room with these characters, and the folks around me actively engaged with the shenanigans, I understood where I was.
(Fringe tip: It’s always useful to know where you are!)
Amidst the spectacle of characters getting drunk, dropping cultural inside jokes all over the stage and dancing up a storm, a genuine sweetness intrudes when we get to see the adorable courtship of Sabrina and Raquel’s parents (Zapico and Orioli are delightfully charming in these secondary roles). Seems a shame we never see them again. Even more than Sabrina’s acknowledgement of the devotion and sacrifices of immigrant parents, this flashback hits with urgent sincerity. It should seem incongruous given the farcical tone of the rest of the play, but it’s cleverly broken up with silly, meta-theatrical walk-throughs by Sabrina and Chloe.
I learned some new words! I didn’t realize that chisme is not mere gossip, but a way of life! And that there are few terrors as great as an angry woman with chanclas—not mere plastic slippers, no, they are a deceptively flimsy weapon of choice to strike fear into the hearts of naughty children and double-crossing playboys alike.
All things considered, not bad for an hour’s entertainment.
Broken Teléfono
@Toronto Fringe Festival
running July 2 to 13, 2025
Alumnae Theatre Mainspace (70 Berkeley Street)
running time: 55 minutes
