Expanding the collective, crossing imposed boundaries ...

In 2005, in the Colina 1 Work Sector, Ilusiones (Illusions) was founded by members of Fénix, and former members of Actualidad Now (1998-2004). Since then, Ilusiones integrates Fénix members whenever they are transferred to the Work Sector. Ilusiones is directed by Penelope Glass, Sebastián Squella and Paulina Ledesma.

Recent // current projects are:

• 2013: New group-devised play / The life and death of Juan Buenaventura, a satire about the archetypal character of “the fraud”, a humorous and despised character.
• Modecate, a group-devised joint production with Fénix / humanity in a controlled society, is anybody really listening? In repertoire, 2013
• November 2012: Celebration of 10 years of theatre work in Colina 1 prison
• The search (2012), group-devised dramaturgy, inspired by Chilean playwright Juan Radrigan’s The disappeared; a reflection on life’s losses and possibilities. Premiered at the 26th ENTEPOLA festival, Santiago, January 2012

Ilusiones 2005-2011

With Teatro Pasmi’s direction (Iván Iparraguirre, Penelope Glass and many others), Ilusiones mounted three plays, and received many workshops and placements to develop their theatre abilities:

• Between 2009 and 2011, Ilusiones worked with Jean-Marc Munaretti (Belgium), Matthew Elliott (England) and Xris Reardon (Australia), using scripts by Bertolt Brecht, Mario Benedetti and Gabriel Jiménez
• Once upon a time there was a king (2008) by Chilean actor/playwright Oscar Castro of the Aleph Theatre Company (Paris, France). This play was premiered in June 2008, as part of the FREE ART 08 prison arts festival in the Santiago City Library. It was performed in Colina 1 and in January 2009 at the 23rd ENTEPOLA in front of thousands of spectators in the Pudahuel Amphitheatre
• The marriage proposal (2006) by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov, performed in Colina 1
• I die, therefore I exist (2005) by Chilean playwright Jorge Díaz, a black comedy about desperation and survival in Chile’s savage neo-liberal system. The play was remounted in 2007, and performed at the 21st ENTEPOLA in Pudahuel, 2008

Photos: Rodrigo Hernández