The mandragora myth

We often talk of the abounding diversity of the human race but how commonly do we reflect upon the similarities that reside beneath differently-coloured skins, how we all cry, laugh and love, regardless of region, religion or culture. Two artists have arrived in the city from Argentina to celebrate fifteen years of ceaseless travelling and performing to stimulate your thoughts and lighten your hearts through art.

It's circus, theatre and humour combined, a love story told with music and all the grandeur of a live show. It is told, however, without words, depicted instead by two clowns played by 35-year-old Mariana and 38-year-old Juan, the all-in-one cast and crew of this show. The duo, who gave their first performance of the same show back in 2003, has travelled across their country and beyond since.

Following the trail of invites from a series of theatre festivals at home and abroad, Mariana and Juan have set foot in 42 countries over the last eight years, in this journey of the heart. 

Mariana is trained in theatre, dance and acrobatics and lives her dream of working in theatre. Juan, a trained musician, imagined a life no different than the one he is living. They trained together for the circus and created a package that brings together various art forms revived in a simple yet unique manner.

In vibrant coloured robes, loud expressions, acrobatic tumbling and unusual props, they promise to tickle your heart. They will dance, jump, smile, cry, love, swing from ropes and play a saw-violin but in the absence of words. The show constitutes no barrier of age, language or culture for its audience. "It is a gift for everyone, a gift of 55 minutes of silence accompanied with several emotions that will fill your heart as you watch the show and relate to the instances and the character," said Mariana who is currently enjoying being in the country which is culturally so wide that to her, visiting each new state feels like visiting a new country altogether.

The play is themed around "amor(love) y humor (humour)", informed the rather quiet Juan in his native dialect. It is a love story but not a romantic one," said Mariana jumping into the conversation as she adds that the story is about two people in any relationship going through the various emotions that life has to offer.

The show derives its name from the plant, Mandragora that is known for its dual characters and relates with the duo-based show. The plant, apart from several other mythical beliefs, is also said to have roots that resemble a human face and leave the person catching the sight of it in love much like the story of the play, adding to that the smell of the plant leaves the person silent falling in line with yet another trait of the show.

As Mariana puts it, "Silence is an unusual entity today and  and we need it even more.”