←Recommendations of The Language of the Unheard (previously Inutil)

What do you do with your rage when the system not only functions via injustices, but thrives on them? Espinosa’s play explores the question at every angle, tossing a firecracker into a pressure cooker. The tension and anger and exasperation and betrayal, every one is palpable in every line and every image. A heart-wrenching look into being a woman of color in America, and the mental anguish inside those trying to do something, anything amidst so much corruption.

A visceral exploration of trauma, systemic violence, and the finer details that can be lost in the shuffle when looking at a bigger picture. A much needed portrayal of the impotent rage inside us all that burns ever brighter in the face of overarching injustice. Espinosa's fearless narrative challenges it's characters on a deep and personal level leading up to a climax that left my jaw on the floor. This is one for the books.

There have been so many beautiful things that have been said about The Language of the Unheard by the virtuosic Alisha Espinosa. It is timely (and sadly timeless). It explores trauma, the failed justice system, womanhood, black life, sexual assault and the great place of intersection for outrage and movement against all of the above: protest and art. Do not let the brevity deceive you. This play is packed full of commentary on so many social ills. You'll re-read it again and again and draw something new.

"Have you ever been scared for so long that you forget what ease feels like," This line spoken by the character of Lilliana gets to the heart of what these characters are experiencing, and what 2020 made so glaringly obvious. This relevant play examines the complexities of trauma, police brutality, and the very real fear of just being in your own body (as a woman and/or black individual). I found myself holding my breath through so many scenes as I read. Espinosa uses the world of art to theatrically bring this story to life. Can't wait to see this performed.

An examination of justice and trauma through the lens of a system that almost prevent healing. Espinosa give us full characters trying to navigate a world that takes and takes but never gives back. How do we recover? How do we progress? How do we create bonds in a place that aim to break them? This play feels more necessary today than ever.

Beautiful, and poetic, this play examines the ripple effects of trauma, systemic oppression, and racism on the family members of those who who are effected by them. At the center of the story an artist and a police officer form an unlikely bond that they are unable to pursue due to the emotional baggage they've been bonded to. An important examination on the futility of facing systems of oppression, with a haunting and satisfying end. I highly recommend.

The impact of trauma affects many generations beyond the initial survivors, but when does it end? What can be done to stop the cycle? What will it take to change minds? Espinosa explores this thoughtfully and evocatively via the Padilla sisters and the journey to healing.

The Language of the Unheard is a very timely piece on the subjects of policing, and systemic racism and misogyny. The play unfolds like a living debate between those on the inside and outside of the system. The delineation is made evident through the adoption of artists and a police officer as the main characters to tell this story of an injustice suffered by Lilliana. Their relationships show how the overall failures of the "justice" system make their way down to an individual life and those that surround her.

Who will save us? Who will speak for us? Who will seek out our justice? Lucia and Liliana seek out to give a voice to the voiceless and if shouting won’t work, they’ll find another way to get your attention. The play strikingly teaches that the art of the protest works and we must treat the truth like a glass cup, by either shining light through it or by serving it cold. Why not both?

In INUTIL, Alisha Espinosa incisively explores campus sexual assault while also having a broader discussion about the complex feelings that arise in the wake of and in response to injustice of various forms. That Lucia and Lilianna are visual artists is also magnified by the beautifully rendered stage pictures that Espinosa creates throughout. All of the characters are extremely well-rendered, and reveal themselves in both astutely-observed naturalistic scenes, private monologues, and dream-like moments. The ending is messy, heartbreaking, and illustrative of the collateral damage and lasting ripples that traumatic events have on individuals and communities.