Theater Review

Tom Titus

With a title like “References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot,” you pretty

much expect the new play on South Coast Repertory’s Second Stage to be,

well, provocative in nature. What you don’t expect is such honest,

outspoken treatment of a serious social issue intertwined with a

dreamlike fantasy world in which animals enact the principal roles.

Forget Salvador Dali (except when the moon is up and the satellite sports

a Daliesque mustache). The title comes from one throwaway line. What

makes the play’s main character -- Army wife Gabriela -- hot is a

combination of the steamy Barstow atmosphere, a horny teenage neighbor

and the antics of a sensual cat and a really wily coyote.

The cat and the coyote prowl through the surrealistic portion of Jose

Rivera’s world premiere, interacting with the bored, restless Gabriela,

who’s awaiting the return of her Army sergeant husband. That’s the

problem -- he’s in it for a 20-year career with nine to go; she’s had it

with life in such exotic locales as Barstow.

Ana Ortiz treads her way through both the reality and fantasy portions of

the play with seductive aplomb. She exudes the apprehension of a human

time bomb awaiting ignition and faces off with her war-haunted husband in

a no-win situation scene to deliver an ultimatum: me or the Army. She is

extremely watchable at all times.

Given her physical beauty, most normal, healthy guys wouldn’t have a

problem making a decision, but husband Benito (Robert Montano) is as

gung-ho a GI as you’re likely to encounter. Montano presents a strong,

vital case for his chosen career, even while cringing in his sleep as he

recalls decimating a village in the Gulf War. He also busies himself as

the moon in the fantasy scenes.

Because Benito is an infrequent visitor, Gabriela finds herself embroiled

in a nocturnal fantasy world populated by the aforementioned cat and

coyote. Svetlana Efremova portrays the feline much like Maggie the Cat,

exuding promise of promiscuous passion even though, as she admits, she’s

“been fixed.”

Victor Mack, as the coyote, resembles the wolf from “Into the Woods” in

his chronic state of perpetual arousal. He’s a powerful predator, whether

searching for sex or sustenance, and a credible ambassador from the

outside world.

The wild card in the deck is Wells Rosales’ juvenile depiction of Martin,

the 14-year-old neighbor with the hots for Gabriela.

Rosales presents a forceful young presence that the young wife may or may

not give in to; Rivera isn’t crystal clear on this point. Nor does he

offer a “final answer” on the fate of Gabriela and Benito’s marriage.

Presenting the problem is sufficient here, and the SCR cast -- under

Juliette Carrillo’s imaginative direction and against the backdrop of

Monica Raya’s hot-hued settings -- accomplishes this mission marvelously.

“References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot” is a blood-stirring tale of

conflict in both the real and surreal worlds, grounded in a beautifully

realized interpretation by Ana Ortiz. As a newcomer, this play goes to

the head of the class.

WHAT: “References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot”

WHERE: South Coast Repertory’s Second Stage, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa

Mesa

WHEN: 7:45 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, 2 and 7:45 p.m. Saturdays and

Sundays through Feb. 27

HOW MUCH: $26-$45

PHONE: (714) 708-5555