Comedian and solo theater artist Marga Gomez performs in King of Cuba.

Berkeley Central Works reveals the pounding pulse of Cuba.

They say that some old enmities don’t seem so important anymore later in life, but some battles you keep fighting to the grave. That’s certainly the case with two bitter enemies in Cristina García’s new play King of Cuba, based on her own novel of the same name.

Both infirm in their 80s, one of these cranky, old guys is a longtime exile from Cuba in Miami still fuming at the regime that forced his family to flee the country, and the other is El Comandante, the longtime dictator of the country, who’s not quite Fidel Castro but an obvious stand-in for him. In parallel threads we follow both of them as they reflect on their lives and nurse old grudges.

One of the most notable things about the play’s premiere production with Berkeley’s Central Works is a rare opportunity to see acclaimed comedian and solo theater artist Marga Gomez performing as an actor in a play—and as Fidel Castro to boot (or, you know, not quite Castro). Directed by company co-director and resident playwright Gary Graves, the play also stars Marco Aponte, Leticia Duarte, Elaina Garrity, Ben Ortega, and Steve Ortiz in Central Works’ intimate performance space at the Berkeley City Club. The drumming of “bongocero” Carlos Caro becomes a whole other character in the play, like the pounding pulse of Cuba itself.

King of Cuba, July 21-Aug. 19, Thu., Fri., Sat. 8 p.m.; Sun. 5 p.m.; Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant Ave., Berkeley; $15-$38, 510-558-138, CentralWorks.org.

This report was originally published in our sister publication, the East Bay Monthly.