Lucha Libre
MEXICO | Thursday, 21 February 2008 | Views [444]
Lucha Libre
You've seen catch on TV; I've seen it in real here! A great show, loads of dressing up, it looks like a pantomime. CRASH, OW, WOAH!
Something particular to Lucha Libre in Mexico is that people from all ages come: families with children and grand parents, young, less young... We went on a Tuesday evening (they have them Tuesdays and Sundays) so it was mostly adults, young and less so, drinking lots of beer and shouting, no yelling at each other, or together, insults of all sorts. An occasion to "liberate" themselves they say: everyone does it and no one gets upset. Although I did not particularly enjoy the "Bush's daughter" that was shouted out at me! They learn quickly though and it was turned into "Zidane's daughter" which fits much better indeed! Traditionally they also call out for pretty or hot girls “vuelta” so that they turn around on themselves to show their body and then “brinca” if they have heavy breasts so that they jump up and down… I will not mention here all the things they shout out as it may offend some people reading, but it is all just for “fun” and nothing is meant nor personal. For example there are seats below below around the ring and benches higher up behind fences. These places are cheaper than close up to the ring (but far safer which is why we were there) and those from below shout out “los de arriba son pobres”, the others respond etc. if someone looks like a TV celebrity they’ll point him and make a joke, is someone is fat, bald, alone, normal: everyone gets it and friends amongst themselves also have a go.
With all this extenuating activity standing up on the seats, shouting, bouncing up and down with your arm in the air (“those that don’t jump are cunts”), very few actually watch what goes on the ring!
I’ll try to describe it for you: a man dressed up in a suit with a mike comes onto the ring and calls out for the first luchadore with all the grandeur due to him, multicoloured spot lights flash around a black door which opens and out comes the big, heavy and old (sorry in his forty fifties!) luchadore. He sometimes touches the hands of spectators as he walks down the carpet to the ring. He enters and shows himself off, removes whatever extra garment he is wearing (cape, dressing gown) shouting or more so roaring to the crowd. The guy on the mike calls out the second who enters in the same way. The public responds differently to one or the other either booing or cheering. Then the referee, dressed as he should be in a black and white striped top with black trousers and a black cap, also climbs up onto the ring, checks the soles of the men’s boots and the fight can start. The luchadores jump and bounce around the ring, into each other, onto each other, fall out of it onto the floor and carrying on fighting on the spectators’ seats (who have to get up and away from them as they do so). They seem to be a cross between sky divers and gladiators; it is all very spectacular and great fun. You can notice all their tricks but that is not what counts. These men are actors.
Unfortunately, they do not allow photographs to be taken inside, but you get the sense of it no? As the show goes on and the fights follow each other, the "luchadores" are more and more dressed up, their masks more elaborated. The last fight is not a duel but higher fences are placed and fixed around the ring to stop the fighters from “falling out”: there are 8 of them! Theoretically they form 2 teams and fight only in duels while the others watch or get along hitting and jumping on top of their own dualista. After 7 minutes, they are allowed to climb out of the cage if given the opportunity and they fight for themselves.
In this last fight played: one spiderman (only wearing the bottom), one gay Italian trapezist looking (the music that introduced him was that of a strip tease…), one orange, one baby wearing black pants and a white nappy, one “hot zebra” wearing zebra boots and zebra knickers with a torn up black top(horrible to sight!), one wearing nothing else than white knickers and boots, one pink lion dressed up all over and a red flaming one. At the end, the 2 remaining loose and fight against each other, the one who loses this either has his mask taken if he wears one, or has his head shaven! It is thought more humiliating to have the mask taken off as it reveals their hidden identity. In one of the first fights, one luchadore who did not follow the rules, unlaced and took off the opponent’s mask, he was therefore disqualified even though the other was physically beaten and laying face down on the ring floor, covering himself with his hands until the referee put another mask on. Which was again taken off, again another mask, taken off; he stole 3 masks and the other was humiliated but still won the game.
The photos in the gallery are taken form outside the Coliseum where the games take place; like on Broadway, these stars have their walkway.
Tags: Adrenaline
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