Hugo Arguelles (1932-2003) was a Mexican writer, screenwriter, playwright, and theater director. During a good part of his professional life he worked as a teacher and participated in the production and realization of television programs.
Argüelles's work was abundant and had international recognition. The writer was characterized by developing topics of social interest, treated from a reflective point of view and with a certain touch of irony. Several of his theatrical pieces were adapted for television and film.
The most famous plays by this Mexican playwright were: The crocodile of the rococo pantheon, The spring of the scorpions, The piranhas love in Lent Y The weaver of miracles. Hugo Argüelles' talent led him to receive several awards, such as the National Theater Award.
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Hugo Argüelles Cano was born on January 2, 1932 in Veracruz, Mexico. Information about his parents and relatives is scarce and about his academic training it is known that he studied medicine and Hispanic literature at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). The playwright also studied theater at the National Institute of Fine Arts.
Although Argüelles completed his medical career, he decided to dedicate himself to the performing arts. In 1951 he began to work as a theater director and worked on the staging of the piece The simple things. Seven years later he was awarded the National Theater Prize for The crows are in mourning.
For a long time Hugo Argüelles was a professor in Mexican institutions. He worked at UNAM as a professor of modern letters and dramatic art. He had the opportunity to teach theater at the Centro Universitario de Teatro and the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes.
The professional life of this Mexican playwright was characterized by being active. He had participation in television as a producer and host, in addition he was in charge of adapting some of his works for the television format. Hugo also developed dramatic literature workshops and was a cultural delegate.
Argüelles dedicated his life to the theater and that made him worthy of recognition. In 1982 he was honored by the Spanish Athenaeum in his native country and the following year the Union of Cronistas y Criticos de Teatro celebrated his career. The writer died on December 24, 2003 in Mexico City at the age of seventy..
- National Theater Award in 1958.
- National Fine Arts Award in 1959.
- Prize of the Union of Theater Critics and Chroniclers in 1980.
- The crocodile of the rococo pantheon (s. F.).
- Piranhas love in lent. A film version was made in 1969.
- The spring of the scorpions. It was made into a movie in 1971.
- The sand figures (s. F.).
- Doña Macabra. Adapted for television in 1963 and film in 1971.
- Cold lovers and One way (s. F.).
- The crows are in mourning (1958).
- The miracle weaver (s. F.).
- The gallery of silence (1967).
- The prodigies (s. F.).
- The grand inquisitor (s. F.).
- The round of the bewitched.
- Calaca (s. F.).
- Concerto for Guillotine and Forty Heads (1971).
- Dawn of dawn (1971).
- The ritual of the Salamander (s. F.).
- The criminal loves of moral vampires (1983).
- Wild roosters (1986).
- The art nouveau tarantula of the street of gold (s. F.).
His main play belonged to the genre of farce and was divided into three acts. The plot of the story was about family and greed. In the course of the play, each of the characters revealed their intentions..
The name of the work made reference to the indifferent attitude of Don Lacho's children to their last days of life. They were only aware of the riches that he was going to leave them. So they used all means to process a death certificate while he was still alive.
The main characters of the play were:
- Don Lacho.
- Enrique.
- Matthew.
- Gelasius.
- Piety.
- Mary.
Mercy: - And the advantages, do not count? Also think about them. You see, he can't even breathe. All the time with that noise in the throat. And if he dies - as I hope in God - tonight, tomorrow, Monday, we can go to the solar. Everything is neglected because of his bloody agony that never ends.
It was an interesting work by Argüelles in which he revealed his customary black humor and irony about aspects of life. The story was psychologically charged, which gave intensity and depth to the incest plot. It has been represented countless times.
Father: (Hitting the table) -And? So am I going crazy? Feeling how I feel and being someone who… has to go downhill! If I am, I can't stand the energy inside me! How? But how… am I going to think about it, man! I'm going to throw a few plumbs around there: that: I have to entertain myself. It is that they are already more than 17 days locked up here! Anyone's nerves get on edge!
Otoniel: -Take it easy ... and don't expose yourself ... -And less to shoot, even if it's for aiming practice. Here you have to be calm for at least a month. And just in case, I've already sent for two more to reinforce the night watch. Calm down and ... well (toasts with an empty glass) say hello.
The Father sees it. It is contained with great efforts. He wags. He sits. Baby.
Otoniel: -Looking at Father's left leg) Does it still hurt??.
“Fernando: -We were stupid! Why did not we think of that!
Roberto: -But the only one who is taking risks is me!
Jorge: -Are you afraid?
Roberto: -Suppose that one day they fall for me. Where do you think they would send me to reward my wit?
Jorge: -How exactly do they do?
Fernando: -The idea was Roberto's. (Looks at it with admiration).
Roberto: (Satisfied, but pretending simplicity) -I simply suggested that taking advantage of the fact that I work at the bank, he could get the joint account cards of some clients from a file; of those who, being several relatives with the same account, do not know very well who has withdrawn the money.
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