Sonia Seminario: the Literature student who became an actress by chance | INTERVIEW

After 16 months away from the stage, the leading actress Sonia Seminario returned to the face-to-face scene last weekend. He did it with the comedy “Tu madre, la Concho”, directed by Paola Vicente, which has been on the local billboard for five years, always with a great reception from the public who, for the premiere, sold out 10 days in advance. The author and producer of the play, Ángelo Condemarín, reveals that when he wrote the character of grandmother Clementina, between 2012 and 2013, he did so keeping in mind that Sonia should interpret her.

In her extensive career in soap operas, movies and in plays, such as the one written by Condemarín, Seminario has given life to several grandmothers, but she has managed to create subtle differences between each character, giving them a personality and individuality that has made them memorable. . It is perhaps because of this capacity that, like Condemarín, the playwright Víctor Falcón wrote the character of the witty grandmother Aurora from “La Cisura de Silvio” especially for the actress to whom, in addition, he dedicated his work. And, on the other hand, Eduardo Adrianzén, a screenwriter who has worked repeatedly with Seminario, kept the character of the evil witch Jordana, who the actress initially played for the soap opera “Eva del Edén” in 2004, in two more productions, the telenovela “La Perricholi” (2011) and recently in the series “The last bastion” (2018).

Sonia Seminario admits that comedy is one of her favorite genres. He likes to laugh as much as to act, he says, but he does not remember the number of roles of that genre he has played. What he does remember with special are some of the productions in which he participated. Here is a brief review of some of his memories.

How did you become an actress?

Casually. I started studying at the National School of Dramatic Art, ENSAD, at the time of Dr. Ugarte Chamorro and Mario Rivera, many years ago. At that time it was the only drama school there was. A lot of people were trained there: Lucía Irurita, Luis Álvarez, Herta Cárdenas, Carlos and Fernando Gassols.

Then, I came to the AAA (Association of Amateur Artists) through Guillermo Nieto and Guillermo Fernández Cornejo, they belonged to the AAA and were working with Ricardo Roca Rey. There I met Ricardo Roca Rey who seemed to me to be a great director and later we became very close friends along with Patty Cisneros, his wife, who was his right hand. It was a very beautiful time, really.

Have you always wanted to be an actress?

No. If you knew how I became an actress …

How?

I became an actress because I saw an ad in the newspaper that said “drama classes at ENAE (National School of Scenic Art, predecessor of ENSAD). I had entered the Catholic University to study Literature, but I wanted to do something else. In that search I saw the notice and I said to myself “I’m going to go and see how it is”. There, Mario Rivera asked me if I liked theater. “Oh I do not know. I like to see it, but I don’t know if I would like to do it“, I told. I went in and never left again.

Of all your experience in theater, film and television and the various roles you have played, which is your favorite or the one that has given you the most satisfaction?

The truth is that all the works that I have done have given me satisfaction. I could rescue on television, “Eve from Eden.” A beautiful production that was set in an old and difficult time, that of Guamán Poma de Ayala. I remember that Pold Gastelo played Poma de Ayala. That production was very good and there were so many actors who worked there.

Another of the productions that I have been in lately and that I have also liked a lot, has been “The best families”, by Javier Fuentes-León. It is the last film that I have done together with 21 actors. And then there is a beautiful play by a talented playwright who sadly died very young. Too bad, because it would have given much more, great author Victor Falcón. His work “La cisura de Silvio” is extraordinary.

What year was that?

Oh, my daughter, don’t ask me how old I am because I’m fatal for dates. I do not remember anything! They will think that I want to take my age, but it is not like that (laughs). I just don’t remember the years. It will be that I am very bad at mathematics and I have always had an aversion to numbers, perhaps that is why I do not remember the years. But yes from my scripts. I have a great memory, thank goodness.

Do you feel that today’s actresses have better roles in the theater?

I’ll tell you no because, as I was telling you, I started young years ago and I did it with important roles. At that time there was Lucia Irurita, who also played great roles, and Ofelia Woloshin who was another woman who had her theater group and did great plays. Frankly, I haven’t seen that.

In a past interview you said that before, actors had to battle against indifference. Today, what are they fighting against?

Yes, he spoke of indifference because there was no audience for the theater, as there was for the ballet. The Municipal Theater was filled with these shows and more when foreign companies came. But there was no audience for the theater, perhaps because there were not enough plays. And after them Cattone came. Now people have gotten used to seeing plays, now there is an audience that goes to the theater. Of course, with the pandemic, people have stopped going, although we hope that it will pass soon, we will not have a pandemic forever.

How did the pandemic affect your plans?

The truth is that since I am in an exit stage, a time of withdrawal and I do theater once or twice a year, frankly I have not felt it so much. But I understand that for young people, who are working on projects to make them profitable and become known, it has been very difficult.

What kind of role do you think you need to play or which one would you like?

I think I have already done them all: very good, evil … They have been doing this for many years, almost 70 years dedicated to the theater. So I just want to say that people go to the theater and support new talent. And don’t miss “Your mother, la Concho.”

More information: “Tu madre, la Concho” is presented at the Julieta Theater (Pasaje Porta 132, Miraflores). Saturdays and Sundays in October at 8 pm. Tickets are on sale at Joinnus.