Catalan Theatre: West End-Worthy?

Written by: Laura

Disclaimer: gifted tickets in exchange for honest reviews.

In this post, I want to highlight the remarkable quality of Catalan theatre I’ve seen in the past month in Barcelona and contemplate their potential success if transferred to London's West End. Of course, this is only speculative!

Note: The shows I will be reviewing today are all in Catalan, not in Spanish!

Amèrica, La Villarroel

Barcelona, December 8th, 2023

An affluent Catalan bourgeoisie family receives an unexpected visit that will unravel the darkest secret within their history. Amèrica sheds light on Catalonia’s history of slavery, condemning the nation's reluctance to confront it and apologize for its past.

The play skillfully navigates between a present-day family lunch and Cuba in the nineteenth century. Both Tamara Ndong and Joan Carreras shift between their roles as Kayla and Joan, and Enitan and Juan from the past. These transitions happen suddenly, without warning, in jolts and flashes that leave the audience reeling. Tamara Ndong deserves notable praise for her incredible talent in embodying both characters, but also for her ability to switch between them completely seamlessly.

This production gave me chills on multiple occasions; it captured the audience's undivided attention and filled the air with palpable tension. It’s a performance that deeply affected me and simply cannot leave one indifferent.

I really wish this show would transfer to the West End. Except for a few very specific cultural references, the essence of the play could effortlessly resonate with UK audiences without any need for alterations.

Amèrica is on its second season and will be playing at La Villarroel until January 21st.

★★★★★

L’alegria que passa

Teatre Poliorama

This musical is an adaptation by Dagoll Dagom of a short play written by Santiago Rusiñol that premiered in 1898 in Barcelona. Although highly successful at the time, it hadn’t been staged for a long time due to its brevity. In a grey little town, everybody seems to be going through the motions, accepting the rule of an authoritarian mayor, when suddenly, a group of artists arrive with the promise of brining the joy back into their lives. The mayor’s son, Joan, betrothed to Lina, falls in love with Zaira, the company’s star.

It is a contemporary musical, filled with song and dance. Something I found impressive was how the young cast acted, danced, but also played all the instruments live. The actors have dual roles, portraying both the town’s inhabitants and the touring artists, distinguishing themselves by the color of their clothes; the town citizens, of course, only wear grey to symbolize their monotonous life. I want to highlight Eloi Gómez, Pau Oliver and Júlia Genís for their wonderful and energetic performances.

Personally, I prefer more traditional staging, so this musical was perhaps a bit too modern for me. However, I was very delighted to see that this show truly resonates with younger audiences.

L’alegria que passa is the last of Dagoll Dagom’s original creations and will be playing at Teatre Poliorama until January 25th.

★★★

Fitzroy

Teatre Borràs

Four mountain climbers are ascending Fitzroy, a mountain in Patagonia. It is an extremely difficult accomplishment that an all-female roped team has never achieved before. Mid-climb, as they wait for the weather to improve, unexpected things happen, and they must decide whether to continue or turn back.

The first thing I need to mention is the incredible cast. All the actresses are very well-established, and rightfully so. They are hilarious together, but they also have more vulnerable moments; their great chemistry is undeniable. Usually, I would highlight some of my favorite performances, but in this case, I really can’t choose!

The script is witty and fast-paced, and the fact that all the action happens in the same spot is barely noticeable. Themes of friendship, self-image and personal triumph are woven throughout the script, and as the characters interact, their backstories and personalities shine through.

If this show were to transfer to the UK, they would need to find a cast as solid as this, and that would be quite the feat! Aside from that, I believe the show could also translate well to UK audiences, with perhaps some little rewrites to address some specific cultural references.

Fitzroy is also on its second season and will be playing at Teatre Borràs until February 25th.

★★★★

Escape Room 2

Teatre Condal

Have you ever seen a sequel to a theatre show? Well, now I have!

I wasn’t able to catch the first instalment of this series when it premiered, but fortunately, they adapted it into a movie with minor changes, so I caught up before seeing the sequel.

Five years ago, our protagonists participated in an unconventional escape room that unexpectedly changed their lives. They vowed never to participate in another, but strange circumstances bring them back together, trapping them in another twisted game.

The staging is spectacular. There is a functional elevator, screens allowing movement onstage, and some other magical elements that I don’t want to spoil! It genuinely felt like a real escape room.

Acting-wise, everyone was phenomenal. I have been following the works of Joel Joan, actor and co-writer of this play, for a long time, and as usual, I wasn’t disappointed. His character, Edu, is hilarious, brightening any interaction he has with the others. I also wanted to highlight Paula Vives as Marina.

Regarding a potential West End transfer, I think this might be the most challenging. There are many Catalan references, such as mentions to famous people or cultural movements like independence. This is precisely what makes it so enjoyable for Catalan audiences, but I wonder how the UK public would perceive or relate to these jokes.

Escape Room: The movie is available on Netflix Spain. Escape Room 2 will be playing until February 18th at Teatre Condal, Barcelona.