Haunting Garcia Márquez tale reimagined as musical
The Trail of Your Blood on the Snow” is one of the most riveting short stories of Nobel Prize laureate Gabriel García Márquez. It begins with Nena Docante sucking her forefinger to stem the blood from an almost invisible wound she received from a bouquet of roses, a wedding gift. Nena and groom Billy Sanchez, who are both from old, prominent Spanish families, are on their way to Paris for their honeymoon.
There is a severe winter storm in the Pyrenees mountains and the journey is arduous. Finally they reach the suburbs of Paris and are horrified to note that Nena’s wound hasn’t stopped bleeding, and that her clothes are soaked. They check into a hospital, with the doctor declaring that she must be admitted into intensive care. Tired from a daylong trip, Billy checks into a local hotel and sleeps for a day.
From that of the omniscient observer, the point of view of the story shifts to the first person, the “I” being the Narrator. It is many years later and the Narrator is recounting what Billy told him, that his wife had died despite the efforts of the doctors to save her, that the hospital had been looking all over for him but couldn’t locate him, and that finally Nena had been buried, her parents present.
The short story has morphed into a Far Eastern University (FEU) Theater Guild production, a musical at that, called “Niyebe” (Snow). The play is directed by Duds Terraña, who also adapted the story and wrote the lyrics. Music is by Vince Lim, with choreography by Carlon Matobato.
Kesiah Eunice Aritao and Brigitta Claire Marilla take turns playing the tragic heroine Nena Daconte, while husband Billy Sanchez is played by RB Pascual and Dave Bambang; the Narrator is Aaron Bayani.
Death image
The image of death is present from the very start, with the set darkened and the light falling over a graveyard, a cross over what appears to be a funeral urn. There are papers, apparently letters, scattered around. A harlequin figure materializes, waves at the audience. A comic figure in what is a tragic story? A comic touch is certainly needed here as the story, first encountered in 1997 and reread many years later, can be unbearably sad.
There are people, men and women, in the shadowy background, unmoving, almost like zombies, with bars in front of them. The harlequin goes over to them and greets them. Then the figures break out of their spell and approach the center of the stage; they are the Greek chorus. This may be a somber production but it is also a musical, with production numbers and lively music and choreography.
Twist of fate
And so the story of Nena and Billy becomes a 2-hour play through the addition of detail, characterization, new situations, confrontations and misunderstandings, a Greek chorus, choral numbers, music, and choreography propelling the story along.
After the couple’s fateful journey through the Pyrenees from Madrid to Paris, we can visualize Billy’s frustration as hospital rules for intensive care prohibit him from seeing his wife for six days.
Terraña imbues the production with Philippine Educational Theater Association-like brio, eliciting spirited performances from the leads and acting ensemble.
It is not easy to adapt a García Márquez story into a full length three-act play. Terraña did it last November with “Ang Pinakamakisig sa mga Nalunod sa Buong Daigdig” (The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World). He does it again with “Niyebe.”
“Niyebe” runs at the FEU Center for the Arts Studio Wednesday to Saturdays until March 27. Contact Far Eastern University Theater Guild on Facebook and @feutheaterguildofficial on Instagram and Tiktok; visit feu-theaterguild.com.
