by Rafael Guizado (1945), translated and adapted by Gigi Guizado (2024). Based on “Verano”, an excerpt from SOBRE LAS MÁS ALTAS MONTAÑAS (Colombia 1945); and EN LA ÚLTIMA HORA (Colombia 1948)
Length: 23 pages, 53 minutes
Genre: Tragedy
Synopsis
In early 1900’s Colombia, a successful rancher falls for a young woman from the city. A romance between man, woman, and nature blossoms beautifully. Meanwhile, storm clouds linger on the horizon. As seasons pass, so does their love, brought down by forces beyond their control: plague, drought, and willful ignorance of greedy leaders.
Production History
Sobre Las Más Altas Montañas was performed in its entirety on the Radio Nacional de Colombia in 1965.
Over the Highest Mountains was presented as an online table reading by The Asylum Theatre in collaboration with Out of the Wings on October 25, 2024.
Critical Response
“Rafael Guizado, founding director of the National Radio, tried to approach more modern forms of scenic writing, with pieces such as Verano, Complemento or Allegro.”
Carlos José Reyes, El teatro en Colombia en el siglo XX
‘En La Última Hora’ was included in The Independent Monologue In Latin American Theatre: A Primary Bibliography with Selective Secondary Sources by Duane Rhoades.
Audience Response
I believe there is a intrinsic Latin American approach to the melodrama that can be a gorgeous gateway to exploring emotions and character study for contemporary actors.
Almiro Andrade
Great play, very universal and thought-provoking.
I was immediately drawn in and transported!
Jessica Hooper
Publications
The excerpt ‘Verano’ was published in Revista de las Indias, núm. 75 (Mar. 1945).
The monologue ‘En La Última Hora’ was published in the collection of short stories ‘Cinco Veces Amor’ in 1948 and in Sábado (Ago. 6, 1949).