Inane ëInterludesí Cervantesís Comedic Sketches Not Meant to Be Theatrical Feature by Lisa Troshinsky Cervantes: The Interludes,î the latest project by Gala Hispanic Theatre, is a series of silly romps through the underworld of 17th-century Spanish society. Although good for a few laughs and an unusual glimpse into an otherwise undernoticed piece of works, ìThe Interludesîówritten by Spanish playwright Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, famous for penning the legendary ìDon Quixoteîóprobably would fare better if not treated as the eveningís main attraction. Published in 1616 but never reproduced by Cervantesís contemporaries, ìThe Interludesî are short, jocular comedic sketches originally intended to entertain audiences between the acts of long classical plays. Although popular with 17th-century audiences, most other ìentremeses,î or ìinterludes,î mixed slapstick with satire and were often viewed with disapproval by the authorities of that time period. Cervantesís entremeses were said to break this mold, turning the genre into a whole new theatrical form by including greater depth of character. But although they were sufficient enough to function as skits between acts, they are not meaty enough to merit an entire evening of theater. The five vignettes produced by Gala and directed by Hugo Medrano, chosen from the eight Cervantes interludes that remain extant, are tales of dim-witted pimps, prostitutes, cuckolds, corrupt judges and cheating housewives. The scripts are bawdy, festive, musical and humorous, and although their characters resemble Shakespearean fools, the material lacks Shakespeareís sharp wit and deft comedic timing. That said, I can appreciate Galaís desire to pay homage to passed-over works that influenced the labors of other great theatrical legends, including Federico GarcÌa Lorca and Bertolt Brecht. Cervantes was known for his authentic portrayal and perspective of life from the margin of society rather than from the center of intellectual and court life. His writings drew inspiration from his own modest and arduous upbringing, during which he was imprisoned and often fled to his native land. These experiences enabled him to accurately portray the underside of urban life in Seville and Madrid. The complete ìDon Quixoteî as well as his ìEight Plays and Eight Interludesî werenít published until a year before his death, and despite Quixoteís popularity, material rewards for Cervantes were disappointing. Galaís production, despite its feeling of incompleteness, does well to replicate the aura during which Cervantesís pieces were writtenóthe Golden Age of Spanish Drama (1580-1680). This was one of the most important periods of drama in world literature, producing other greats such as dramatists Lope de Vega and Tirso de Molina, the contemporaries of Shakespeare and Moliere. A period of music, art, literature, theater, dress and manners, it set a standard by which the rest of Europe measured its culture. Gala, with ìThe Interludes,î recreates the 17th-century festivities by providing the audience with free wine and hors díoeuvres in the lobby and sweeping them back after intermission with a parade of song and dance by the cast. The result is an audience absorption not unlike what one experiences at a Renaissance Festival or when watching the indie hit ìMy Big Fat Greek Wedding.î Costume designer Alessandra DíOvidio sets the mood with extraordinary period-style, low-cut and big-skirted frocks, as well as peasant wear and dramatic, colorful cloaks. The 11 cast members play multiple characters and flow with ease from one quick costume change to the next, made possible by effective comical bits such as strapping on large fake beards and mustaches held secure by a rubber band. Carrie Ballengerís set is simpleóapropos for the intimate but stark Warehouse Theater, Galaís temporary home before it moves in 2004 into the renovated Tivoli Theater at the corner of Park Road and 14th Street, NW. The lack of a proscenium curtain isnít missed: Ballenger instead uses movable painted canvas backdrops and a few scattered tables, chairs and shrubbery, whose austerity only serve to demand more from the audienceís imagination and action on stage. However, the acting borders dangerously on exaggerated slapstickógranted, my experience was somewhat hampered by my need for an interpretative headset (from Spanish to English). Many of the actors are clearly skilled in comedic drama, especially Lucinda Hart-Gonz·lez, who plays the part of Senora Ortigosa in ìEl Viejo Celoso (The Old Jealous Man)î and whose animated facial expressions are hilarious. But on the whole, the acting over the course of the evening remained at one constant high pitch, with little nuance. Yet, the fact that ìThe Interludesî parodies the characteristics and values of the ìNew Comedyî of Cervantesís day (when all the plots ended in marriage) is enough to keep modern audiences engaged. Just as it was an interesting experiment for Cervantes to write ìThe Divorce Judge,î where the law directs unhappy couples to stay married, ìThe Old Jealous Man,î which shows a wife pushed to adultery, and ìThe Widowed Pimp,î where ìmarriageî works only in the underworld of whores and pimps, it is likewise a worthy experiment for Gala to produce these pieces, and a worthy endeavor for us to watch them. ìCervantes: The Interludesî runs through March 16 at the Warehouse Theater, 1021 7th St., NW. For more information, please call (202) 234-7174 or visit www.galatheatre.org. Lisa Troshinsky is a freelance writer in Washington, D.C.