Sonia Flew
Steppenwolf Theater
By: Gretchen Kalwinski
At age 15, Sonia, the main character in Sonia Flew, was an unwitting participant in "Operation Pedro Pan," a secret 1959 CIA disinformation program designed to overthrow Castro by scaring middle-class Cuban parents into shipping their children to the US amidst false promises of a prompt reunion.
Sonia never saw her parents again, but survived foster homes and the struggles of assimilating into American life to eventually marry a second generation Jewish doctor, (his father was a Polish Jew who fought in WWII), work for the public defender, and live a comfortable, middle-class life in Minneapolis with her husband and children. But, in the opening living-room scenes, Sonia's life is again thrown into the confusion, panic, and disarray of wartime-upheaval via a shocking announcement from a family member that thrusts her back into 1950's Cuba. Inevitably, Sonia is forced to grapple with issues of loss, memory, and familial betrayal all over again.
Written by Melinda Lopez and directed by Steppenwolf associate artist Jessica Thebus, Sonia Flew brilliantly illustrates the ways that immigrants must partially forget their pasts in order to start anew in their adopted country. It also sets up some clever parallels between the Castro regime, World War II, and the war in contemporary Iraq. The standout part of the play is the sharp, witty dialogue delivered by stand-out actors, coupled with the intelligent political and cultural references that weave together complementary time periods and political events in a thoughtful, deeply felt manner. Sonia's flackback monologues delivered on a darkened stage are especially powerful, as the audience is given access to the moments of her traumatic past that are informing her seemingly irrational reactions to present-day events.
Occasionally, the play hits you over the head with some of the paralells between the US conflicts with Cuba, Germany, and Iraq, providing conclusions that were a bit too "easy." For example, during one "flashback" scene, the metaphor to today's political climate and leaders was already perfectly evident, yet one character's dialogue unnecessarily spelled it out for the audience, amping down the effect of the scene. As a viewer who enjoys the opportunity to figure connections out for myself, I found it disappointing to have the answers handed to me.
Otherwise, Sonia Flew is a polished, professional performance that investigates issues of identity and memory, immigration and cross-cultural families with nuance and intelligence, both informing and provoking its viewers.
"Sonia Flew" runs through Feb 4 at the Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theater, 1650 N. Halsted Street, Chicago. Shows 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday; 3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday; $45-55; call (312) 335-1650.
