Empire of Solitude
An experimental drama based on the poetry of Julia de Burgos (1914-1953) that chronicles her mental state in the last week of her life. Told through the eyes of the four personalities that Burgos embodies in her poetry--Feminine, Poetess, Revolutionary, and Wife--the play is an examination of the way misogyny, both societal and internalized, creates an isolated existence where it is impossible to be accepted by others while being true to yourself. Fueled by alcohol, despair, and biting humor, Julia de Burgos struggles to locate the key to finding peace in the waning hours of her life.
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Episodes
Saturday Aug 03, 2024
Saturday Aug 03, 2024
In her final hours, Julia's mind retreats to a bar of the soul, where the end of life is depicted as a final drink with the self, as the ego (Poetess) and the id (Feminine) come together to reconcile the contradictions of a life they are simultaneously exhausted by yet urgently cling to.
Saturday Jul 13, 2024
Saturday Jul 13, 2024
Julia continues her journey through the streets and pubs of New York, as her mind is flooded with the memories of past relationships. Her first marriage, acted out by Wife and Feminine, and told in reverse chronology, is a marriage of convenience and adhering to social norms. Her second marriage, acted out by Poetess and Revolutionary, and told chronologically, is a marriage of love and passion, with a progressive who promises to change the world with her by his side. As the two stories collide and comment on each other, Julia comes closer to confronting her final hours.
Thursday Jun 20, 2024
Thursday Jun 20, 2024
At the end of her rope, Julia de Burgos leaves her home on June 28th, 1953, and embarks on an odyssey through the streets of New York City, where she is in exile from her homeland of Puerto Rico. We are drawn into her mind as the four personalities of her poetry--Poetess, Feminine, Revolutionary, and Wife--wrestle with the existential struggles of being a Latina woman navigating a world that was never made for her.
Content warning: Contains some strong language.
Tuesday Jun 18, 2024