Libre De Reir (2023–…): Season 1, Episode 4 - Pánico Escénico (Stage Fright) - full transcript

You have to present a version
of yourself when you go on stage.

But how do you create that persona?

You might think it's you, but it's not.
You must be original

while using your own anecdotes
and your perspective on life.

You have to be genuine. Your identity
must be clear from the start.

That's why you must convey your feelings.

Feelings are the fuel of comedy.

Feelings make your audience
feel comfortable.

You and your audience
create your stage persona together.

How are you doing?

The issue is that inmates



aren't really exposed
to an outside audience.

So they'll only have one evening
to create their persona.

Let's see how they manage.

3 WEEKS BEFORE THE SHOW

LAUGHING ON THE INSIDE

They don't know and I'm not going
to tell them. If they find out, God!

They're going to feel
three times as nervous.

I think I'll tell them after
their prison graduation.

I'll tell them, "Okay, you graduated.

"So-and-so were the best ones,

"so they'll present their show outside."

Was it love at first sight?

No, she was fat.

I meant you!



Hi, students!

-Hi.
-Hi, Sofía Niño de Rivera!

MALE INMATES

-How are you doing?
-Great!

I brought another comedian.

-Good.
-Daniel Sosa.

I was honestly a bit apprehensive,
wondering what it would be like.

What if they don't like me?

-Daniel, take your seat.
-Okay. Break a leg, guys.

How do you feel after our last class?
It was a bit stressful.

Listen. You're blaming women
for everything, Jesús.

IN THE LAST CLASS

-No.
-You said, "She decided to marry a..."

-We don't know.
-Listen to me, asshole!

Yes, it was stressful.
But it was constructive as well.

Very constructive.

-How are you feeling, Jesús?
-Okay.

-Really?
-Yes.

-We're cool.
-Are we all cool?

Does anybody want to say anything?

In here, you are allowed to feel.
Feelings are allowed in here.

I know out there it's difficult,
but in here it's okay.

Does anybody want to say anything? No?

First of all, nice to meet you, Daniel.

-Hey, buddy.
-Unfortunately I'm epileptic.

Or maybe that's fortunate.
Don't worry, though.

I've just taken my medication.

I've been having seizures
for almost the entire week.

Orlando wasn't as good as last week.

But he's very charming

and his empathy and charisma

are half the battle.

If he nails the punchline
I told him, he'll do great.

What can I say? The punchline...

About the auras...

Nobody noticed! Okay, I said it.

Nobody noticed, man.

I'm obviously very nervous.

I have the feeling
we'll get to the third act,

Now I know what everyone is like,
I wouldn't want to get kicked out.

So I'll be leaving now.

Orlando talking about his epilepsy
makes me want to open up his brain

and find out more about that
to be able to get material.

He realized it's much more interesting
than he thought.

What do you think of your performance?

I think that I feel more comfortable
without the notebook.

Yes, you loosened up

but you also forgot all your lines.

You're funny when you use your personality
to tell your stories.

Even without a punchline,
you're really funny.

Sorry. It's just that... Teacher.

When you say that part about the pills,
add an extra one just for fun.

"This one for this, that one for that,
and Viagra, just in case."

I thought I'd see lazy,
teenage-like students,

but they were eager to learn.

The audience needs to buy your story,
but no one will know

if it's fiction or not
unless it's very obvious.

You can use that to your advantage.

I hope I can help them do that
not only in the workshop.

I hope that they realize
they can rewrite everything.

I hope so.
Well, except for their criminal records.

FEMALE INMATES

Any questions before we begin?

What did you do?

Tell her.

Where to begin?

They stripped me naked

and that's not allowed. And...

-They stripped you naked?
-Yes.

And then I was taken
to the warden's bathroom.

-And then?
-We'll see what they say tomorrow.

Tomorrow you go to council?

-Will you tell them?
-Yes.

Besides, they only took my money.

-They took...
-That's why they carry envelopes.

They took 2,200 pesos.

Why were you carrying so much money?

And your son's birthday party?

Okay.

"Hello, my beautiful boy.

"You're the love of my life.

"I'll be with you soon. You'll see.
I can't wait to see you, to hug you.

"Don't forget I love you
with all my heart.

LETICIA
PAMELA'S MOTHER

"I think about you all the time.
Be good, my boy. When you go out,

"hold grandma's hand. I love you, Nathan."

Say hi to your mom.

-Hi, Mom.
-Hi, honey. What are you doing?

I was... I was watching...

What?

-The "capitation."
-The capacitation.

Go.

I'm really depressed right now.

We must forget everything
and make people laugh.

I've performed with diarrhea,

family issues, on the verge of tears.
But you do it anyway.

You can even say, "I want to cry."

-Damn.
-No!

Come on!

I put my make-up on, my clothes,
and say to myself,

"Time to work."

First, I have to clean up after everyone.

I have to sweep the whole ward
or I can't have a job.

So...

My mind went blank.

Okay, let's do this.

I understand you have problems.

Take this chance to forget about them
and have fun.

-Okay.
-Have fun telling your story.

Because it's fresh. It just happened.

-I mean... Again.
-Again.

-It's like a déjà vu.
-Now is the time

to let it all out.

If you're angry, tell your story angrily.

Tell it as if you were
reliving the experience

because you are.
Talk about it with feeling.

-Okay.
-You may start again.

-Come on.
-Hi, my name is Pamela.

I always try to start the day
on the right foot

since they say it's good luck
and you'll therefore have a good day.

But I must have two left feet

'cause I have the worst luck.
Really shitty luck.

When I got here, I was used

to people who enjoy debating.

They would organize assemblies
to discuss their issues.

And when I got here
there was an accommodation issue.

I can't remember what it was about.

They were about to fight, saying,

"No, you bitch," whatever.

And I went, "Wait, let's talk."

They obviously ignored me
and said, "Shut up, Tiara."

"No, please, wait. Let's have a debate

to decide who gets it."

"Shut it, we fight for it."

And I went, "Okay, yeah."

So they thought I was naive.

I'm all peace and love, let's talk.
That's not always how it works in here.

Isn't it hard to have children in prison?

-Yes.
-Do you ever go, "Why bring a child here?"

It was my last chance

because of my age and being in prison.

-You wanted a baby.
-I did.

At what age do children leave this place?

It used to be when they were six.
Now it's three.

Isn't it hard, knowing they'll leave?

No. I know she doesn't belong here.

I love her, so I want the best for her.

It was hard for me
to see a baby in prison. As a mom,

I couldn't accept that there are women
who get pregnant in here by choice

knowing that they'll live here
for three years and then they'll go out

to be with a relative or someone else.

But then I talked to

Jaqueline, and she told me,

"I always wanted to have a child,
and I have something to offer."

Of course being locked up
doesn't put an end to your dreams.

And if there's a way
one of them can come true, why not?

I was 44 years old when I got married.

I wanted to get pregnant

and I was in a hurry.

I get a conjugal visit,

they close the door and I go, "Come on,

"get to work, get up, get down,
sideways, hang from there,

"I'll catch you, come on."
I say, "Come on, that's my bellybutton.

"Come on, man. Make an effort.

"You can get down later.
What on earth? Are you drilling a hole?"

And yet, I couldn't get pregnant.

But there are always friends

with homemade remedies who try to help.

The first remedy was a clay mug

that you have to fill with rain water.

I met my husband here in prison.

I got pregnant with my daughter
after two years of marriage.

My daughter has given me life.

Bravo!

Up, up! Hands up. Down, down!

Up and down!

Where are you, brother?

Let's talk to him.

Can you hear me? The baby's sleeping.

And Alexis?

Is he playing?

I became a mother

during my time in prison.
It was wonderful.

We're out of water.

It completely changes
your experience here.

I'm responsible for giving him
an education,

making sure he grows up well

and taking care of him
in this environment.

That's fundamental so they become
different people.

It's essential for them
to be with their parents

even if we are in prison.

Say something. He wants to listen
to your voice. Talk to him.

Now my main focus

is to completely change
our experience as a family

and to give them a chance,

in spite of having been born
in an uncommon environment,

to become good people.

Let's go, honey.

I come from a family of kidnappers.

My dad always used weapons.

He said, "You'll learn
how to load and shoot a weapon.

"You have to look after our house.

"You have to look after your sister
and your mother."

He opened my eyes to a horrible world.

When I was only 12 years old,
he said, "Here, take this.

"Take this gun."
I knew it could harm and kill others.

As the years passed I started wondering,
"Why does he kidnap people?"

I used to tell my mom, "Let's hide.
Leave him." And my mom would refuse.

I later understood
that from the moment she had us,

she suffered gender-based violence.

It was its own kind of prison,

different from this one.

LGBT+ INMATES

I'm hopelessly in love with a gay man.

They say a man needs to be ugly,
strong and formal.

But in prison there's a curse
that makes them ugly,

stoned and messy. And my guy is all three.

He's helpless, yet I'm hopelessly in love.

I used to say God made me as a joke,
but now I think I'm either his comedy act

or his comic strip. I live with him.

I live with the asshole
who dragged me to prison.

So you know how toxic I am.

You can laugh, guys.

Thank you, I'm done. I'm Leslie.

And I spoke for too long.

The only thing I need you to do
is to enjoy it.

You're not doing that, so your personality
is not coming through.

-You're too focused...
-I'm nervous.

-Yes.
-Honestly, yes.

-Your material is very good.
-Is it?

"But you're not."

No!

-You're good.
-Say it, Sofi!

I won't accuse you
of discriminating against me

-or anything. I swear.
-You're good. Just relax.

If you don't relax and enjoy,
it won't work.

-I'll do a line and come back.
-No.

-Just to relax.
-No!

You're doing the opposite
of what you should be doing.

You've got it. Just enjoy it.

-You can do it, Leslie.
-You can do it, Leslie.

Come on!

Okay, that's it.

Leslie still does drugs

and she's always on the verge
of misbehaving.

You're so close.

To be honest, you're the one with most...

-Between both the male and LGBT groups.
-Don't say that.

You have the most material.

Really?

-The most.
-My life is comedy.

Yes.

-So I'm doing well?
-You're doing great.

Learn it by Monday.

Think of something new,
but don't write it down.

Bring it and we'll see what happens.

-Okay? You're doing great.
-Thank you.

I won't say you're my favorite.

-No, I don't expect that.
-But you're my favorite.

-Really?
-Yes. Now go.

Thanks! I love you.

FEMALE INMATES

Well done. Congratulations.

There's that saying.
We are born, grow up, reproduce and die.

When I got married

I was already pregnant.

But I lost the baby
during my sixth month of pregnancy.

From that moment on
I felt my family pressuring me.

"When will you have children?

"You still can't get pregnant
after 10 years?"

"Why can't we? What's going on?"

ARTURO
ALEJANDRA'S HUSBAND

I kind of pressured her
into having children.

I can't do it, but

I'll try.

I used to work in a hospital.
My boss and I started a treatment

to get me pregnant.

But then I started spotting
in my tenth week.

The doctor said,
"I don't think you can get pregnant."

I wondered, "Why is this happening again?"

So I went out to the waiting room,
where all the patients were.

And that's where I met Mayra.

We talked. She was pregnant.

And she told me,
"I want to give the baby up for adoption."

And we came to an arrangement
for after she gave birth.

The day she gave birth

I made the foolish mistake

of taking the baby from the hospital.

The police came around 9:00 p.m.

They barged in pointing their guns at us
and I asked, "What happened?"

They said,"She took the baby
from the general hospital."

Everything I did not dare tell him
during those eight months,

six months, I told them
right there and then.

They wrote, "Unlawful deprivation
of liberty of a minor

"with harmful intent."

I didn't mean to cause harm.
I wanted to give him a family.

When it was time for the confrontations

I told her, "You know you're lying.

"I wasn't going to harm him.
We had an agreement.

"Just tell them the truth."

Obviously she'd never admit to it.

I admit I made a mistake.

I deeply regret all the pain I caused

because I hurt the people I love

as well as myself.

Are you hungry, sweetheart?

1 WEEK
BEFORE THE SHOW

They don't know anything.

They know they'll perform
in front of other inmates,

but not outside.
It will be hard to choose. Awful.

But I have to do it.

I'll consider first
how hard they worked to improve.

WORK ACHIEVED

Second, how they perform

ACTING ON STAGE

on stage in front of an audience.

HOW WELL THE MATERIAL WORKS

And third, whether their material
will work outside of prison.

There's no time left.

Graduation is on Thursday
and I have some news.

-Good news or bad news?
-Good or bad?

I don't know. You be the judge.

After your graduation,

I'll choose the best of you

to take you out for one night

to perform in a theatre
in front of an audience.

Alongside the LGBT and female inmates.

You would think they'd be excited
to hear they're going out.

"I'm coming out!"
But they don't seem to be taking it well.

Nobody is excited.

It's shocking, and I suppose, stressful

-to think...
-Yes, look at me.

-On Thursday, I'll tell you who's coming.
-I'm terrified.

Are you kidding me?

-Can't we all go, instead of just a few?

All of you?
That's not logistically possible.

As make-up artists?

No, because it's not just this group.
There're a lot of you.

It's too many people.
We can't get so many out.

So we have to choose.
If it was up to me, you'd all go.

You, the men. But it's not possible.

You don't look excited.

I am! Look at my shaking hands.

-How couldn't I be?
-I'll have a tequila.

-It's been so long.
-No, buddy, no.

Just as a warm-up.

I'll get kicked out of the country.
No way.

-Kicked out.
-Okay?

I will see you on Wednesday.

Rehearse a lot. You'll have a room

where you can rehearse by yourselves.

-Great.
-Alone. I won't be here.

Now that I've been in prison,
leaving this place terrifies me.

I mean it. I'm afraid of leaving.

-What are you afraid of?
-Of going out.

I found my comfort zone here.

I feel protected.
Going out again? I'm scared.

But we won't walk there.

-I'll tell you what.
-If I go.

When people see you in the prison van,

they'll be more afraid of you
than you of them.

You'll get there, perform and come back.

So you won't really "go out."

-It's just a ride.
-I'm still afraid.

And the van is closed.

So you don't want to go out?

If you pick me, I'll do it.
But it'll be a challenge to me.

And it does scare me a bit.

It might sound absurd,
but it's one of my fears.

I wasn't expecting that.
It's a very strange complication.

We fear criminals, and those

who've been in here a long time
fear the outside.

I'd like it to be Gaby
so she sees it's okay to go out

and to hear people
applauding her. For them,

who are socially rejected,
to receive applause

and people's acceptance on the outside
will be incredible.

Finding out this will end up
with an act in a theatre,

outside, is crazy.

I've been dreaming of this my whole life.

If they choose me, I'll be happy.
And if not, that's okay too. I'm excited.

I can picture myself
asking for some tequila on stage.

I don't know if I would get any.
I think not, but...

It's crazy. The idea of going out,

and even more, to be going on stage,

is an opportunity
we won't have for a long time.

THE GRADUATION

They're about to go on stage

and they're really nervous.

That's totally normal.
Actually, that means

they're passionate about it.

Nerves can be something positive.

You can use them in your favor.
Nerves give you energy,

concentration and emotions.

You have to go on stage thinking,
"There's nowhere I'd rather be

"than up here in front of you."

I'm nervous already.

THEATRE OF SANTA MARTA

How are you doing?

Santa Martha! This is exciting!

Are you ready to see the first comedian?

Yeah!

I was sleeping when six guards barged in.

One was staring at my crotch. I thought,
"She's already figured out I like girls."

When I find you, I'll cut off your cock.

I want to get out of here.

I'll see you later, Joe.

You can see that these aren't my boobs.

They're my ovaries.

And I was like...

Like when you go to court,
and the guy goes, "No,

"the practices," and so on.

And you are like...

My roommate there,
he's got a straight face

but he's a cheerful motherfucker.

The feeling of creating
something from scratch

that works, that you worked hard for,
and came up with it yourself,

is a type of pride like no other.

It didn't occur to me
that they never felt proud

of something they did before
because they're told,

"You're not worthy
and everything you do is wrong."

In order to choose

I needed to see them
in front of an audience

before I exposed them
to another type of audience.

Because now I know what to expect
and how to help each one of them.

And they all needed to feel

that they completed the workshop.

I'm going to tell you
who the chosen ones are.

You were all amazing,

but as you know, I can't take everyone

even though I'd love to. It pains me,
but I'll leave some of you out.

Now I'll tell you
who's been chosen. Ready?

The chosen ones are...

IN THE NEXT EPISODE...

I'm really proud of you.
I have nothing more to say.

The chosen ones are...

You don't want to think about the outside
because it's out of your reach.

The point is to enjoy it.

We're going out. That's another show.

Seeing it on TV

is not like seeing it through glass.

I'm going to introduce
our first comedian. Ready?

It was an incredible gift for them.