Paola Barrientos she puts herself back in the skin (the wig, the heels and the jewels), of Zulma, her character in “Tarascons”the comedy in verse of Gonzalo Demaria with address of Cyrus Zorzoliwhich premiered in 2016, toured theaters and provinces and after two and a half years returns to the stage, in the Metropolitan Surah. In this play, which is an acid look at the Argentine upper class, which for Barrientos is still very relevant, even though he does not see it as a good thing, he shares the stage with Alejandra Flechner, Eugenia Guerty and Susana Pampín.
With a smile, great predisposition and enthusiasm for the projects ahead, the actress does not hesitate to position herself politically, but is cautious when talking about issues in which she is not deeply involved, such as the INCAA situation: “I understand that the possibility of carrying out the audiovisual industry is very complicated”, he maintains.
News: How did you experience the return of “Tarascones”?
Paola Barrientos: It was a party. We did two or three seasons, we started at Cervantes, then we settled as a cooperative and went to El Picadero, we did two seasons there, then we put things away thinking that in three or four months we would return and they ended up spending two and a half years. In these years we had several Zoom meetings, looking forward to returning. We decided that in the toughest moment of the pandemic we didn’t have to go back, but this is the time. We come with enthusiasm, focused on this reunion. This work seems like a bomb.
News: What do you enjoy most about your character?
Barrientos: There is a game of expressiveness, in all of them, in the proposal, from the aesthetics, the acting, we get on a lot, the wigs, the nails, the jewelry, the heels, the fun starts there.
News: In a note you spoke of humor as a language that opens doors to expose certain issues, what do you reflect on in this work?
Barrientos: It has to do with class positioning, there are four ladies who decide to judge and sentence, being the ones who carry out the trial, the employee of one of them, accusing her of something that will later be seen if she committed or not. The play begins with a crime. These ladies decide on the innocence or guilt of another person with absolute impunity for what they think. Then they start skinning each other.
News: In what you say about the trial to the other, what do you think about the culture of cancellation?
Barrientos: Questioning is the way to go, but cancellation, the non-existence of the other, seems to me to be unhealthy for anyone.
News: It is a term closely associated with social networks, you stay out of that world, what separates you from the networks?
Barrientos: That impunity to give opinions, say, insult, mistreat disturbs me. The possibility of depth is removed from the debates. There is something of that immediacy of the answer… I can get to jump like boiled milk, I prefer to stay away. There are very daring people who start to give their opinion of others from the networks and for me that is not worth it, let’s get together and tell me, let’s talk. Some of that is the first thing that causes me rejection. Later, I assume that it is something that exists, it is part of human relations. Just because I don’t like it doesn’t mean that at some point I won’t have to pay more attention to it., basically because I have children who are going to start interacting in that universe and I’m going to have to know what it’s about to be able to accompany them. Too much information circulates about what one does. It doesn’t bother me that someone else shows what he does, but I say: Who could be interested in where I went for the weekend, what did I eat? That taking pictures of meals… I don’t understand the funny thing.
News: What other issues does motherhood face?
Barrientos: Every moment you meet other humans, with their tastes, you realize that they begin to manifest themselves and have their own desires, which sometimes conflict with what one wants, needs, would like… it is learning to relate to that other that one loves so much and has to let be.
News: In a note with NEWS you defined yourself as a severe mother, did you soften?
Barrientos: Perhaps I am more fanatic than severe (laughs). I don’t know if I softened, they are relationships that are changing all the time. One grows and shares and understands some things and fails to understand others.
News: In contrast to the “fans”, what would be your greatest virtue?
Barrientos: I cook delicious (laughs). I feel that I am someone who knows how to accompany, I am generous and I try to be attentive to what the other needs. I put my body to everything that is needed, not only with my children.
News: Speaking of putting the body to the causes, how is the work you do in prisons?
Barrientos: I am a volunteer of Restorative Justice Argentina, Andrés López is the president lawyer of the association. Each one contributes from his place, his possibilities. There are times when I am more active with my presence and others when I am not. We did “Tarascones” in a prison and it was an amazing experience. The motto is “Restore not to repeat”.
News: At the time, when you starred in Banco Galicia’s advertising and worked on “Graduados”, you had a lot of exposure, how did you deal with that situation?
Barrientos: It was a shock, but I was already big when it happened. I feel like it wasn’t too overwhelming for me. In those moments, what I do is withdraw a little from the street because it comes out that way, because I’m kind of shy. What happens to me on the street has to do with recognition of a job that someone values. Is very grateful.
News: You were very identified with Kirchnerism, at this moment where are you politically?
Barrientos: I feel in the same place. For me, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner is someone to whom we must always pay attention, has a vision of the matter that few have. I absolutely refer to her.
News: And with Alberto?
Barrientos: What happens to me is that I want things to happen, decisions to be made that are not the ones that are being made, but this is the context in which we are. I am part of the Frente de Todos and I hope that a possibility of continuity will be found for this project and that it will be a project more similar to what we experienced during the years of Kirchnerism, because basically it seems to me that it was transformative and that is missing.
