Ahead of My Uncle is Not Pablo Escobar, I caught up with Elizabeth Alvarado to talk about the themes at the heart of the production, the creative journey behind it, and what audiences can look forward to when the lights go up.
What first sparked the idea for My Uncle is Not Pablo Escobar?
Conversations between Tommy, Valentina and myself about the issues the Latin American community face sparked ideas and inspiration for a show. We wanted to talk about these issues on stage in a way that would be captivating for an audience.
The show blends a heist thriller with a political exposé. What drew you to combining those genres?
Our show is based on the 2012 HSBC scandal that connects Latin America, the US and the UK. We were shocked at how little attention this case received and how small the repercussions for the bank were. They paid five weeks’ worth of profit, and it did not impact HSBC heavily. We chose to combine these genres to draw attention to this case and how little attention money laundering cases receive in the real world.
The play is rooted in the lived experiences of British-Latinx women. How important was that authenticity in shaping the work?
The experiences of British Latin American women shaped our work. It was the reason for the creation of this show. Honey’s storyline for example, is a demonstration of that authenticity, where we needed to be true to lived experiences which don’t always have a happy ending.
The title itself challenges stereotypes. What conversations were you hoping to start with it?
We were hoping to provoke people to watch the show. We were hoping people would question the stereotypes they grew up hearing about the Latin American community.
The piece tackles corporate complicity in the drugs trade. How did you approach telling that story in a theatrical, accessible way?
Our play is a ‘what if’ play, we’re not documenting events as they happen. We’re creating our own version of events - a dream world - where we get the satisfaction of justice deserved.
How did the collaborative writing process work between you and the other writers?
We work at the speed of trust. There has to be compromise and a lot of conversations when collaborating on a piece of work like this, especially over the years. We were able to learn from each other and learn new things together.
How has this piece evolved over time?
We have been able to sharpen it and make it clearer. Character wise, relationships have been made clearer and stabilised more. We’ve had the opportunity to make money laundering an understandable process for the audience too.
The show has already received Offie recognition. How does that make you feel?
I felt proud. I never thought I’d have the opportunity to write and create something like this. To be recognised by the Offies was an unreal experience, particularly as we won an Award for Special Impact, whilst also being a finalist for Best Play. I was very grateful. The production is part of a wider campaign for Latinx recognition in the UK.
How does theatre contribute to that kind of real-world change?
Valentina Andrade, my friend and co-creator, has produced this year's Latin X Brixton Festival. It will run on 18th April at Brixton House with workshops, food, talks, DJs, exhibitions, and more, a day of free events open to everyone. This show has allowed us to create this festival which is a huge celebration of our community and culture.
There’s a strong sense of community in the project, both onstage and off. How has that shaped the creative process?
Community is at the heart of our creativity. This show has been created to give a voice to our community, and to connect to the wider community. We also worked in a collaborative way together to create this piece.
The show is performed with multiple languages and surtitles. How does that influence the audience experience?
The trilingual choice for our show is to provide accessibility and inclusivity for our audience. We hope they are able to capture every bit of information and emotion, and the characters are all multilingual so it’s important to maintain that. We don’t want the audience to miss a thing due to a language barrier.
If audiences leave with one key takeaway from the show, what would you want it to be?
I would like to gain more allies for our 2031 census campaign, where we are asking for the addition of a specific Latin American ethnicity box. Not many people know data collection doesn’t exist for our community, and many don’t understand why it is important. We hope this show inspires people to become curious enough to join us in our campaign.
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