"Mi Hijo" (My Son) is a free adaptation of Rousseau's book 'L'Emile', utilizing modern corporeal technology - from segways to a show off of unnecessary amounts of pricey wireless devices- to create a unique and compelling scenography. The performance, through a succession of scenes, mocks techno-optimism (the belief that technological advancement can readily solve age-old societal woes) and delves into an essayistic exploration of the modern notion of childhood, scrutinizing Rousseau's debatable method of child-rearing (kidnapping a child to raise in the wilderness). In pushing narratives of children pushed to their brink, the performance critiques the ongoing conflict between ego and morality and exposes the shifting social paradigms where children, once part of the industrial and farming workforce, are now subjects of intellectual debates and controversial upbringing methods.
The performance begins as a keynote for the launch of a new product – the son, or rather, a conceptual portrayal of the idea of a son, employing the simplistic rhetoric often characteristic of enlightenment found in TED Talks. Subsequently, the narrative winds around varying concepts juxtaposing parenting with technology. It touches upon the traditional idea of bearing children as a means of legacy, shedding light on the subtle selfishness deeply ingrained in men's culture (the man's inherent desire for a successor, similar to a king's longing for an heir to his throne).
The performance culminates in a melancholic musical featuring a man desperately attempting to describe, through song and tap dance, his imagined ideal of a son. It portrays the relentless human need to control, reflected in the representation of the son as a device that can be switched off when needed.
