House of Desires

Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz’s House of Desires delivers romantic mayhem to the doorstep of brother and sister Don Pedro and Dona Ana who finds themselves entangled in a comic mess: Don Pedro loves Dona Leonor who loves Don Carlos, who is fancied by Dona Ana but betrothed to Don Juan. The play is a bawdy, starry-eyed tale of confusion and mistaken identities rich with wily servants and groping suitors. Written by a 17th century feminist, this new translation by Catherine Boyle of House of Desires examines the idea of free will for women at a time when her worth was defined by society’s strict moral code. With honor and desire at stake, will the lovers’ whims lead them to happiness? Peter Dobbins directs.