San Juan, June 25 (EFE).- The versatile Cuban comedian, composer, playwright and actor Alexis Valdés affirms in an interview with EFE that laughing and dancing are essential “acts of liberation” in life to be able to face any adversity.
“Humor is not necessary, it is essential,” emphasizes the 60-year-old comedian, who will present his new monologue or live comedy ‘La risa que te debo’ this Saturday and Sunday at the Centro de Bellas Artes in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
There he will exhibit Cristinito, a character that Valdés created 37 years ago and with whom he performs “the humor of a madman” in part of his show.
The comedian defines the character as being “very popular, very comical and very funny” and who, on the other hand, recreates “the humor of a supposedly sane person.”
For the artist, who has composed songs for Gilberto Santa Rosa and Gerardo Rivas, among others, the audiences of Puerto Rico and the Canary Islands (Spain), after the Cubans, are those with whom he feels “most identified in the world.”
Inspiration from comedy veterans
“For young comedians, watch the old ones. Because they knew everything,” Valdés recommends to those who want to dedicate themselves to comedy, stressing that it is necessary to “be aware” that what they do will have an impact on their fans.
“You have to see Gila. You have to see stage comedians, right? To Le Luthier, Enrique Pinti, David Chappelle, Louis CK, Jerry Seinfeld, the great English comedians, Monty Python,” she asserts.
Of the current comedians, he recommends that new generations pay attention to the Spaniards Pepe Rubián and Goyo Jiménez, colleagues whom he knows after having lived in Spain for 15 years, from 1990 to 2005.
“They are people who you see have developed a serious style, who have applied themselves. What have they said, this is my profession, I respect it, I love it, I take care of it and I’m not going to go easy,” says Valdés.
The comedian and playwright says he values the moment when inspiration strikes because it happens unexpectedly and it is something he cannot interrupt.
“Inspiration in music, writing a monologue, in a comedy idea, in an idea for a movie script, in an idea for a book, inspiration is something sacred to me,” he points out.
Future crowded with projects
Valdés, who has released three albums: ‘Musiquita en la cabeza’, ‘Cariñito’ and a compilation of various songs that he has published throughout his career, is now working on a new album that – he explains – “is on the path of modern bolero and modern bachata.”
In addition, he is part of the cast of the film ‘Comandante Fritz’, directed by Cuban filmmaker Pavel Giroud and starring Cuban Yany Prado, which will be released in 2025 and is being filmed in Gran Canaria (Spain).
“It is a film about Germans and Cubans in the Cold War,” the playwright summarizes the plot of the feature film.
“It is a comedy that has to do with history, politics, intrigue, love and music. I am a pianist. And it is a very nice story that could be a great film,” adds the actor, who is also writing a new play.
The comedian also debuted in literature with a light book of funny stories and anecdotes, ‘With all my humor’ (Aguilar, 2013), and presented other literary works such as ‘Fear made us strong’ and ‘With all my humor’.
