This show premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival last year, winning a Fringe First Award. As well as the real life experiences of Latin American migrants living in London, ‘Juana In A Million’ was inspired by the report ‘No Longer Invisible: The Latin American Community in London written by Cathy Mcllwaine, Juan Camilo Cock and Brian Linneker from Queen Mary, University of London. But what has transpired is not a dry, boring, academic account of the trials and trauma of being a Latina immigrant, but mesmerizing one women show that makes you laugh and cry and takes you on a roller coaster of human emotions. The one-hour show, whipped by in a flash, and I was left not wanting to leave the theatre, wanting the next instalment of her life. The writer and performer,Vicky Araico Casas, is in my view a genius: I don’t know how else to put it. Catapulting us through Juana Gomez Castillo’s first two months as an illegal Mexican, Vicky Araico Casas storytelling, energy and physicality make Juana’s journey alive and immediate. She also manages to bring to life and bring a unique perspective on all the characters she encounters. She jumps effortlessly from one character to another, having conversation with herself that are totally engrossing and believable. The play opens with her arriving at the airport as she approaches immigration. We follow her as she tries to find accommodation and tries to get her first job. Her acting out of the sharing of a bed – ‘A hot bed’ as one person describes it, one person sleeps in the day while the other occupant does night work and vice versa, smelly sheets and worse. I couldn’t get enough of her portrayal of the snotty female Maitre D at the restaurant where she gets her first job and the lecherous chef who is a constant menacing presence in the background. But don’t imagine this is all serious, it is delivered which such humour it is hilarious and sharp, and anyone, immigrant or not, who has ever done a low status or low paid job will recognize these characters and tableau’s that she seems to present so effortlessly. The audience are always kept on their toes, there are so many parallel stories running alongside her progress in the city. While she is asleep dreaming in the other occupant’s smelly sheets, we are whisked into another world in Mexico. Back into the past with Juana and her boyfriend, we experience another part of her life. During the day while struggling to get to work she relives conversations with her mother, as her mother tries to stop her leaving Mexico. Her mother evokes stories of Malinche –the women who was the interpreter, advisor, companion and lover to the conquistador, Herman Cortes - and all this in one hour. There are many more well observed and fascinating characters that explode into her Juana’s world. Vicky Araico Casas is also a great dancer with great music accompaniment. I loved this show so much I offered to baby-sit for my good friend’s 3 and 5 year old just so she could go and see it!