Aciago took the stage at the Theatre Manzana de la Rivera in Asunción, with a new play that blends poetry, suspense and opera. The play in Paraguay’s capital was presented six times between 23 September and 3 October 2025. Aciago sets the stage of a world, loaded with mystery and tension, where hidden tensions and dark secrets gradually come to light. The Asunción Times attended one of the nights!
This theatrical work was directed by Aldo Valdez and produced by Develop Teatro. Valdez was presenting an award with actress, producer, teacher, and cultural manager Kiara Nicola at the presentation of the Edda’s 2025.
Aciago forged through creativity and improvisation
The story unfolds with the arrival of an enigmatic yet playful character whose presence awakens hidden tensions and exposes truths that ought to have remained concealed. This is a tale about power and silent betrayals.
Valdez’s creative process reflects his intent to fuse different artistic languages while building the play directly around his actors. Work on Aciago began on 14 February 2025, and rather than starting with a finished script, Aldo encouraged the cast to explore improvisation. “I was afraid the characters would have no real identity,” he explains, “I wanted actors to discover who they were before I started writing.”
From those sessions, the first scene began to take shape. One of the earliest images to emerge was an ordinary yet symbolic image, the boss Estela (Mimi Peralta) stirring coffee in a cup, seeking a moment of calm. Around her, however, Alejandro’s (Chelo Galeano) and Lupe (Julia Clemotte) argued heatedly over paperwork, their voices disrupting Estela’s quiet ritual.
The motives behind each signature
As rehearsals progressed, another figure entered the story: Roberto, Alejandros superior, played by José Ferreira, a presence that lends weight to every decision and casts doubt on the motives behind each signature.
From there, characters slowly grew out of gestures, voices and improvisation. Aldo would return home, write new scenes inspired by the actors’ work, and bring them back into rehearsal. “It was a constant back and forth,” he explains. Step by step, the world of Aciago emerged through this cycle of performance and writing.
A new wave of Paraguayan theatre
With its fusion of theatrical openings and poetic writing, Aciago signals a new wave of Paraguayan theatre. Aldo Valdez dares to break form, creating a play that does not initially follow a rigid script but instead grows organically through improvisation. The result is a production that feels genuine, layered with poetry and suspense yet still rooted in local realities recognisable to its audience.
Paraguayan theatrical scene is evolving rapidly, and now the offering is getting diverse, with the aim of growing and diversifying the audience. A new genre of play is coming to Paraguay very soon that will check one of those boxes.
For more information about upcoming of the company, follow Develop Teatro on Instagram. You can also follow Aldo Valdez on Instagram.
Read more: Visit Asunción’s Theatres: A Guide To Plays, Orchestras, And Cultural Hotspots, and A Guide To Cultural Events At Multipurpose Theatres In Asunción.
