Theatre listings: ‘The House That Wasn’t Mine’ and short plays join the schedule

A special performance of “The House That Wasn’t Mine” will use theatre to expose the consequences of criadazgo in Paraguay. The free show takes place at 8 p.m. at the Centro Cultural Manzana de la Rivera in Asunción, with prior registration required.

Written and directed by Karina Lucarelli, the play draws on real experiences. Its central character, Luz, is a 14-year-old girl who leaves her home in the interior of the country after being promised an education in the city. The promise never materializes. Instead, she is pushed into long hours of domestic work that restrict her rights, opportunities and plans for her life.

Plan Internacional Paraguay and Koga are promoting the special performance as an effort to build awareness of criadazgo. Data from Paraguay’s 2011 National Survey of Activities by Children and Adolescents estimated that 46,993 children and adolescents were living in criadazgo.

The September theatre schedule also includes TIAtro en corto, a new cycle of four short plays at the TIA venue on Avenida España, every Friday from 8 p.m. The listed works include “¿Todavía sabremos entrar por la ventana?”, about the return of a disruptive past; “Objetos perdidos,” a comic piece about the stories attached to lost possessions; and “Rollitos primavera,” an absurd comedy about three people sharing one date. The programme also includes the Primavera Oscura cycle.