Mala Hierba

by Tanya Saracho

Liliana has a sparkle few can deny and no one can resist. The trophy wife of a border magnate living in Texas, she's seemingly impeccable. But beneath that polished exterior lies a fierce determination to survive at any cost. When Liliana's true desires break the surface, she'll have to decide between the value of obligation versus the price of freedom.

Genres: Plays

72 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2016

Reviews

[Matthew Akers · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing play. Funny and frightening. The title is perfect! I would want to produce this show one day. Great parts for women! The writing was so natural and bitingly good!

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tanya Saracho's compact play about four women in a man's world of wealth an privilege plays like a Spanish telenovela, until it doesn't and things get serious very quickly. Liliana is a rich border magnate's trophy wife (the fourth or fifth, perhaps) who puts up with indignities and abuses for the sake of her family and the support she, through her husband, can provide. Her personal servant, Yuya, the woman who raised her, acts as her conscious, while her step-daughter, the spoiled, college-aged Fabiola is her foil. Added to the mix is Maritza, who share a past (and present) with Liliana, and could radically change the course of her life. Peppered with dark humor, and telling heart-rending tale of choices, Mala Hierba is a gut punch of a play.

[Nora · Rating 4 out of 5]

"(Kisses and kisses and maybe, if it's not too much, more kisses. They're both tangled on the ground. A long pause as they size each other up. MARITZA stands up. LILIANA is going to do something. There's a moment, a good moment there, and then LILIANA's iPhone rings ...)"

[jasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

-tanya's writing is honestly astonishing and so so engaging.
-from this to vida you can so clearly see her huge skill at writing dialogue that just strings together, seeming effortless.

[emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

it wasn’t bad

[Nerea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the Spanglish! Few characters, you really get to feel for each one of them.