Gritona

Natalia Valdebenito does not ease her audience into the room; she commands it with a loud, direct style of stand-up that treats the absurdities of machismo and modern dating like a personal challenge. Recorded at the Teatro Caupolicán in Santiago, Chile, Gritona serves as a historic milestone for Chilean comedy. Valdebenito was the first of her generation’s underground stand-up scene to sell out the historic theater, capitalizing on a career-defining performance at the Viña del Mar Festival earlier that year where she won over a notoriously tough crowd.

The set targets the hypocrisies of double standards, casual dating, and the rise of contemporary feminism in Latin America. Rather than keeping to a strict monologue, Valdebenito leans into her theatrical background, utilizing a mix of crowd interaction and scripted theatricality. She also integrates brief sketch and musical interludes, inviting comedian Nathalie Nicloux on stage alongside her supporting troupe, Las Orcas Asesinas. Released on Netflix in late 2017, the special went on to solidify her as one of the country’s most prominent comedic voices. The performance was later preserved on a vinyl release to commemorate its impact on the local scene.