Berkeley Rep stages ‘The Cook’ exploring Cuban revolutionary history

Eduardo Machado’s play ‘The Cook’ is currently being performed at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre through October 11, 2026. The production offers a condensed look at Cuban history, spanning 40 years of political and social upheaval.

The narrative is set almost entirely within the kitchen of a grand Havana mansion. It follows Gladys, a skilled and loyal cook played by Yesenia Iglesias, who has served an elite white Cuban family since she was 12. The story begins on New Year’s Eve in 1958, just before the triumph of Fidel Castro’s revolution and the resignation of Fulgencio Batista.

As the political landscape shifts, the family’s matriarch, Adria (played by Gisela Chípe), flees to America, leaving Gladys to safeguard the home. The play explores the complex dynamics of loyalty, class, and the lasting impact of the revolution and subsequent blockades on those left behind in Cuba.