Just when you think you’ve understood what’s going on, “Don’t Eat the Mangos” gets you again. The play unravels layer after layer of gut-wrenching truth, delivered through comedic Spanglish banter.

The Huntington Theatre opened “Don’t Eat the Mangos” March 26, directed by David Mendizábal. A seamless blend of humor and trauma, the play explores themes of secrecy, abuse and familial bonds, is set in a classic Puerto Rican home and delivered by a Latino cast. Scenes are seamlessly woven together with a rotating stage, turning to reveal different rooms in the house and further immersing audiences into the production.

“It caught me by complete surprise,” said Michaela Smyth, an audience member. “My mouth was wide open for at least five minutes. I couldn’t believe what I saw. It was amazing.”

“Don’t Eat the Mangos” explores the trauma of familial abuse from multiple perspectives, including the experience of living unaware of years-long harassment and the fear of speaking out once the truth is revealed. It also offers powerful commentary on the United States’ treatment of Puerto Rico and the lasting impacts of colonialism on the island.

The story follows three sisters — Ismelda (Jessica Pimentel), Yinoelle (Yesenia Iglesias) and Wicha (Evelyn Howe) — navigating their lives and uncovering family secrets alongside their parents, Mami (Susanna Guzmán) and Papi (José Ramón Rosario). The Spanglish dialogue and razor-sharp writing, especially in the sisters’ banter, give the play an authentic and deeply personal feel. As a comedic tragedy, “Don’t Eat the Mangos” has audience members crying from both laughter and sorrow in the span of minutes.

Howe, who delivers an emotional performance as Wicha, said she always felt supported and understood by those both on and off stage, making the production process comfortable and enriching. She credits her quick bond with the cast to shared cultural pride, with small details like the “curly girl sink,” where people with curly hair can fix their look with water, contributing to the cast’s strong chemistry.

“How the industry sees a certain culture or a certain, ‘This is what it’s meant to be’ and ‘You’re from this part of the world… [This is] what a lot of us had to play and do in order for visibility,” Howe said in an interview with The Huntington News. “Doing a play, like this where you’re like, ‘Okay, everybody gets us, and this is for us, and it’s for people like us, and then it’s for people who would like to get to know people like us,’ it just feels very supported because our stories are insanely needed and wonderful and entertaining.”

To authentically represent these communities as well as the characters, costume designer Zoë Sundra conducted thorough research, reading articles and analyzing photos of San Juan, Puerto Rico, where the story takes place, and even scrolling through peoples’ personal Instagram accounts to learn about local traditions and garments. Sundra sought to incorporate specific symbols into the characters’ clothing, reflecting the toxic power dynamics featured in the play.

“I thought about control and the way control is exercised in the show,” Sundra said. “It’s like people wanting control, resisting control, needing it, enforcing it and all the ways that control can kind of break apart or influence a family structure or any relationship in general,” Sundra said in an interview with The News. “I really thought about the complexities of abuse, whether it’s physical, sexual, emotional, financial. I tried to trickle that down into like, ‘Okay, that’s an idea. How do I put that into costume design?’”

Sundra ensured that even minor garment details aligned with the plot. For instance, Papi, who lacks mobility and is cared for by his daughters, wears pants without elastic at the bottom to make it easier to change his clothes. These small elements, though largely unnoticed by audience members, display the thought put into every detail of the play.

The passion behind “Don’t Eat the Mangos” is clear to its viewers. The moment they enter the theatre, traditional Puerto Rican songs play, followed by an announcement made in Spanglish that is understandable even for those not fluent in either language. After the show concludes and viewers are left stunned, a track by Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny plays over the speakers, clashing against the play’s dark themes and leaving audience members with one last laugh as they leave the theatre.

Although “Don’t Eat the Mangos” is a story about a Latino family and their struggles, Howe believes that all viewers will leave feeling connected to a character, moment or theme regardless of their background.

“I feel like if you come to something like this, you will see yourself in at least one of the characters. The journey that person will take you on — I just feel like there’s a lot of healing that happens,” Howe said. “It makes you want to call your mom or call your sister or call a friend that was like family at the end. You start thinking of people — even if you don’t see yourself, you’re going to see somebody that you know and that you care for reflected on that stage. It is very funny. Just like life, just like drama and then immediately there’s laughing. You’ll see a reflection of life.”

“Don’t Eat the Mangos” ran at The Huntington Theatre from March 26 to April 27.