Frida: Stroke of Passion ☆☆☆☆
Matcha Theater, West Hollywood

‘Frida Stroke of Passion’ is a complex, fast moving story of the last week of the late great queer Frida Kahlo’s life. Frida (brilliant portrayed by Odalys Nanin – Writer-Director-Producer) who was in an accident and subsequently lost a leg turned to alcohol, pain medication and her art to get through a life that was lived mostly in bed.

Frida is in bed throughout most of the play except for moments when she is dreaming of the ability to use both legs – one example is when the audience is introduced to her imaginary child (David Santamaria).

The cast collectively portrayed Frida as a popular but lonely creature. She entertained many love interests, both male – Diego (Oscar Badulto) and female Chavela (Sandra Valls), Tina (Mantha Balourdou), Teresa (Kesia Elwin), Josephine (Celeste Creel), and Maria Felix (Jorie Burgos) each of whom were unavailable to her and  individually contributed to her complicated and troubled existence.

She spent most of her time however with her nurse, Judith (Tricia Cruz), who provided the comic relief of the show, which sort of worked.

There were monitors on set that provided visual aids throughout the play and at points showed some of Frida Kahlo’s art.

P.S. The production was followed by a very lively  Q and A after the show.

 

Reviewed by John Guillot & Juan Salas 

John Guillot & Juan Salas left the bright lights of Miami for the even brighter ones of L.A.   As ‘virgins’ to the city they have joined the QUEERGURU team to bring a fresh perspective to everything  queer that matters in their new home town