Genio there is only one and in Argentina we have Dario Barassi. The comedian, who gained popularity performing his own character in sketches, television shows and advertisements he placed himself at the center of the spotlight to shine with an infallible character.
From literature to film and musical versions made in all parts of the world, The Genius of The Story – one of those that make up the classic “The Thousand and One Nights” – became one of the most endearing characters for his fidelity but above all because of his charisma. And if there’s anything we talk about when we’re talking about Darius, it’s his charisma, both up and down the stage. That charisma, was what caught the attention of the producers, who immediately communicated with the actor to offer him the role.
“I barely offered it, I said no. It didn’t cheer me up, it seemed crazy to me,” confesses face-to-face with Filo.News today and a year after the premiere of “Aldin: it will be great”, as part of the relaunch and latest performances. The musical of Marisé Monteiro, directed by Ariel del Mastro and produced by MP and Ozono Producciones that today is definitely farewell, premiered for the first time during 2018 and sought out his Genius. “I said no, that I didn’t dare sing and dance, and that I wasn’t going to give the body for two performances a day,” Dario recalls.” I came to my house and my wife (Lucía Gómez Centurión) said to me, ‘Are you crazy? You do this or you do it.’ So I called and said yes,” he adds, confident in his wife’s response and encouraging himself to the adventure of getting on stage.
Dario Barassi and his wife, Lucí Gómez Centurión Photo: Instagram @dariobarassi
“Then the process began. I took several singing, dance classes. It’s a giant effort, it doesn’t seem to be, but it’s two performances a day in a theater that holds 3,000 spectators and is almost always packed in the room. It’s a re-defiance. Luckily I said yes, because if I missed it I was going to regret it,” he adds. And it’s not for less. When the Genie appears on stage the laughter begins, the boys’ attention is more focused on the stage more than ever, and they accompany the scenes with applause and commentary. “Luckily Ariel del Mastro (the director) gave me some freedom. That was good because I had to find my color for the character. It’s hard, it’s 3,000 viewers, which 70% / 80% are children, and I have a very grown-up mood, so I had to make a humor that would fit for the boys,” he says.
Dario Barassi is The Genie Photo: Instagram @dariobarassi
And like Aladin to the lamp, Darius found what he was looking for. “I think I found it. I had to empathize and play with certain medium-border terrain so that the parents there don’t stick an embole. It was a challenge and ended up being quite fulfilled,” he says, he has recovered something that seemed lost, or quite forgotten. “When you do what you like, there’s no turning back to give it. I’m passionate. ‘Aldin’ gave me back the actor who had enough dust. From this play I received several theater proposals. The character is really angelado and luckily I get a role that’s funny,” he says, like the one who puts aside a project, a role, an object, a dream, a lamp, Darius wrinkled the actor, who was a year ago that polished nothing less than to shine. “Because ‘Barassi’ had appeared as a character, I was already a notero, they called me to do it in the strips, in the advertisements. So it was like, ‘I’m working on this, I’m comfortable here, it’s okay.’ And with ‘Aldin’ it was: ‘Para, this is different.’ And with ‘Wild Laugh’ too. Recomposing, to the challenge of taking one color out and looking for another was very nice, what a need I had to happen to me,” he says.
Dario Barassi with Fer Dente Photo: Instagram @dariobarassi
After performing two performances per day with “Aladín: it will be great”, Dario performs in Thursday to Saturday nights at the Multitabaris Comafi theater (Av. Corrientes 831) with Veronica Llinás in “Wild Car”. One show for the whole family and another, to enjoy with a more adult humor. On stage
In “Aladín: it will be great”, Dario Barassi sings and dances in front of 3,000 spectators. “I love singing on stage and i’m afraid of that. I am not at all inhibited to act or to dance, to sing I am much more demanding. Musical comedy is a genre I really like. So here we are, with very high levels of demand but not only mine, I’m with a top team,” he says. Darío shares cast with Fernando Dente and Agustín Casanova -who stars in the show in the weekly performances – (both are Aladín), Julieta Nahir Calvo (Jasmin), Agustín “Soy Rada” Aristarán (Visir Jafar) and Carolina Kopelioff (Nadima).
Working with Fer and Juliet was a reunion for Darius. “With Fer we were friends from before, he came to my house and everything; and with Juli we were theater partners. We all knew each other,” he says. What happened to us was to feel that it touched us: ‘It’s now, it’s our time, it’s happening to us.’ It was a great responsibility and we transited it with the height that required, we are very responsible, very demanding, obsessive, very prepared children, none is an inexperienced in the subject and from day one we have on the body the T-shirt of ‘Aldin’, saying: ‘ we’re going to do our best, our top version.’ And well, luckily the result looks,” he says. A Genius
There are numerous artists who set out to put their voices and bodies to play the Genie that Aladin would find in his lamp. From Robin Williams (Disney animated film), James Monroe Iglehart (Broadway musical), Will Smith (Disney live action) to our Dario Barassi in “Aladdin: It Will Be Great.”
“If I have to define him I would say he’s a magical character. It appears, disappears, reappears flying, has costume changes, is on all screens. It’s magical. I have to believe it and play it to the fullest,” says our Argentine Genius.
“When I was offered the right character I went to New York and saw it on Broadway and the Genie who played it there is crack type. An ‘animal’. And I said, ‘Okay, I don’t do it, I get off. My wife told me subite, and I got back on,'” Dario says of her characteristic humor.
While he hasn’t yet seen Will Smith’s live action, he did star in a brilliant anecdote. “It was very funny to me that people wrote to him on Twitter and they were throwing him in. He’s going to say ‘who’s this Argentinian turnip’. Anyway, I’m going to believe that the best Genie for Aladdin is me,” he adds sympathetically. A great dad
The present of Dario is completed by one of the most important events of his life: the birth of Emilia, his first daughter with his partner, Lucía Gómez Centurión. “I’m a pussy. It’s the best time of my life. I don’t sleep, but things settle down on their toes. I don’t care about anything else in this life than that queen. I was fighting her waiting, it’s a doll. What matters most to me is whether it makes a provecery, if it goes full-bodied, if it eats and if it doesn’t, those are my priorities right now,” she says.
Darío Barassi, Lucía Gómez Centurión and their daughter Ema Photo: Instagram @dariobarassi
“It’s a great time for me, I’m really grateful,” he adds and invites big boys to watch the musical. “It’s worth coming to see her. There’s everything. What is danced, what is sung, the scenery, the choreography, the story, what each actor brings, is a marvel”, he closes. This winter vacation, Darius will say goodbye to the Genie but will undoubtedly remain within itself, as one of those experiences that mark a before and after in the path of each actor. “Alamin: it will be great” has performances at the Teatro Gran Rex at 3 pm and 5 p.m. A musical for the family, starring Fernando Dente, Agustín Casanova, Julieta Nahir Calvo, Dario Barassi, Agustín “Soy Rada” Aristarán and Carolina Kopelioff.In this note:
