Culture Meets Chaos

From the moment the lights go up, you’re exposed to the stage full of Miami energy, pulling you into a fast-paced and heartwarming narrative that balances humor and cultural depth. The play quickly evolved into a relatable exploration of identity, family, and culture. Laughs in Spanish proves to be a celebration of what it means to live, laugh, and love in two languages.

Laughs in Spanish, written by Alexis Scheer, is a fast-paced play set in Miami. The play follows Mariana’s immersive world as a gallery owner who has to handle valuable paintings disappearing right before a major art show. The plot is based on Mari as she scrambles to recover from a disaster that could ruin her career. She’s joined by her assistant, Caro, a struggling artist, and a bumbling cop, Juan, who is dating Caro. Things get even more dramatic as her plan to fix everything gets interrupted by her mother, Estella, and her assistant, Jenny. The characters are bold and complex, the different dynamics bring humorous and emotional depth to the play. As characters interact, secrets are revealed, tension rises, and we are taken through a hilarious journey in the life of a Latina family. Immediately captivated by a chaotically heartwarming and relatable plot, Laughs in Spanish is a culturally rich play that is full of humor. 

Laughs in Spanish is an immersive experience that everyone should experience. Throughout the play, there were multiple elements, from the specific lights used in art galleries to the patio decoration to the cop car, that made you feel as if you were a part of their world. The gallery was minimalistic, but when the wall to the patio was lifted, it was colorful and full of life, like the characters opening up, being full of emotion. The cop car, although more of a Caro and Juan scene, was adapted to let the audience be inside the car while in a vulnerable situation. The front part of the car, the roof, and the windshield were modified to let you see the inside while still keeping the steering wheel and other parts. To set the mood, salsa and reggaeton were frequently played. It was used for transitions, but also reflected on the character's emotions: gaining energy or adding tension to dramatic scenes. The lighting was smooth and often changed from vibrant and colorful to muted and somber. The music and lighting worked together to transform the set into a vivid space.

Laughs in Spanish reveals an eventful and chaotic play, full of intertwined stories that cross each other. The narrative was rich with unexpected plot twists, such as Mari and her mother’s relationship dynamic, which begins with visible tension, caused by misunderstandings and having different priorities. They often argued and were in disagreement, but they still deeply cared about each other. To me, their relationship was one of the most relatable parts in the play, due to having a similar relationship dynamic to theirs. Complicating the plot more, Caro announced her pregnancy to her boyfriend, which made Juan want to get married. The multiple plot twists created tension, but also felt generic and predictable. They often chose common tropes within telenovelas, although there were moments of predictability, the play managed to maintain an engaging and entertaining audience through its characters and dialogue. There were teasers of this, but a truly unexpected scene was Jenny and Mari as their relationship develops. The play was successful in balancing its chaotic moments with moments showing genuine emotion. This created a memorable experience for the Hispanic community.

The play provided a hilarious experience, mainly by Mari’s multiple personality switches. Her ability to switch between moods and personalities quickly, like her crashing out to her customer voice, adds unpredictability to the performance. Much of the humor comes from lots of inside jokes and cultural references to the Hispanic community and culture. When my class went to watch the play, there were a diverse number of people, most of them being Hispanics. Multiple moments in the play resonate with the audience who share that background and level of understanding. However, the reliance on culture could’ve accidentally excluded audience members who are unfamiliar with Hispanic culture. While it makes the experience better for some, others don't get the same level of understanding and experience of the play, possibly causing them to feel left out of some of the comedic elements. The play created an interesting dynamic between the reception and reflection of cultural specificity and universal experiences. Adding to the hilarious experience, Juan’s twerking was unexpected and brought immense laughter to the audience.

Laughs in Spanish was an entertaining and insightful play; however, sometimes predictable. All the elements (lights, costumes, props, and dialogue) capture the beautiful insights and struggles of a Latina family. Although anyone should see the play, I’d recommend that the play's audience should consist of people who want to learn and appreciate their understanding of other cultures and their common experiences.

Lead photo: Diana Garle, Diana Burbano, Gabriell Salgado, and Cheyenne Barton in Laughs in Spanish (2025). Photo by Bronwen Houck.

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This review was written as part of an Arts Criticism workshop at Evergreen High School in Emily Acquino’s Language Arts classes, taught by Press Corps teaching artist Jose Abaoag. This program is supported, in part, by a grant from the Washington State Arts Commission.