‘The Hope Theory‘ explores Helder Guimarães move from Portugal to the United States and his desire to become an entertainer, specifically a magician.
Guimarães is the first generation in his family, The Sons of April, to be born after the topple of the country’s dictator on April 25, 1974. Dubbed the “Carnation Revolution” because it was a non-violent overthrow of the Estado Novo government it also ushered in a phrase used rampantly throughout his household:
“Freedom allows each one of us to think and act as we choose. But when we lose freedom, we start to lose individuality,” says Guimarães.
The Hope Theory offers a unique perspective of America through the eyes of an optimistic outsider, Guimarães, while entertaining the audience with magic tricks that seeks to defy their freedom to believe in the not so obvious.
For 80 minutes you are transfixed to the set building Guimarães incorporates into his show through a beautifully decorated, but minimally dressed set, meant to replicate his humble beginnings in American while living in a studio apartment with only one window. The lighting and music add to the illusion and further immerses you into his story.
His storytelling is both clear and vivid of how immigrants, particularly him and his now wife Catarina, had to navigate many twists and turns, and legal setbacks, before settling into their new home/
Those setbacks also included so called “friends” who routinely dismissed their behavior as “that’s how things are done” as a haphazard way of excusing and normalizing the mistreatment of outsiders – those typically with accents.
Guimarães found it odd that despite Los Angeles being a melting pot of cultures, areas designated “Little Tokyo” “Chinatown” “Koreatown” but after being in America and being turned on by a friend, after a decade in the City of Angels, he understood why.
Audiences will be mesmerized by the magic he combines with his storytelling, with some of them lucky enough to join in on the fun, The Hope Theory is a breath of fresh air and a story worth telling, again and again.
The show is directed by Hollywood producer/director Frank Marshall, known for Poltergeist, Sixth Sense, Indiana Jones and Jurassic Park. The show has no intermissions and no reentry is granted.
This is also the first production at the Geffen Playhouse to offer performances entirely in Spanish on May 19 and June 7.
The Hope Theory runs through June 30th at the Audrey Skirball Kenis Theatre at Geffen Playhouse, 10886 Le Conte Ave, Los Angeles. Tickets can be purchased here.
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