The Gaudí theater turns fifteen and celebrates it with three musicals, to emphasize that during this time it has been a "factory for the creation of musicals". The figures are clear: since 2008, 250 shows have been performed in the hall on calle Sant Antoni Maria Claret in Barcelona, 59 of which are musicals.
In 1995, the current directors of Gaudí, Maria Clausó and Ever Blanchet, opened the Versus Teatre on Calle Castillejos, but the playwright's dream was a room on four sides: "I didn't stop until I found this space," Blanchet confesses.
And Clausó adds: “As creators, we are interested in a theater that is not subject to frontality, where the spectator feels immersed in the scene, seeing the facial expressions of the actors, and not like in a big theater, where you only see the body and movement".
“It is no coincidence that we opened with a dramatized concert with themes by Stephen Sondheim”, recalls Blanchet. Since then, international hits such as Carrie, Sugar, The Bremen Musicians and Spring Awakening have been staged in this “medium theatre”.
But they have also programmed local authors, such as La Grossa i la Bèstia (Company Versus), Ulls de bruxa (by Joan Solana and Paco Viciana), El futbol és así de gay (by Xavi Morató and Gerard Sesé), Limbo (by Marc Rosich) or Bed
Now, to celebrate these 15 years, two creative musicals are presented. From Saturday to April 2, Baby boom!, a vaudeville from the Egos Teatro company.
And then Tuelf points, by Suerte En Mi Vida Producciones. In 80 minutes, a hundred songs from the Eurovision Song Contest will be played, and they will have the virtual appearance of representatives of Spain in the popular contest, such as Nina and Miki Núñez.
To round off the celebration, the Gaudí theater is bringing back, in concert format, the musical The Wild Party, which was staged ten years ago and was its first large-format performance. Roger Berruezo and practically the same performers who will then perform only once, on Monday, February 20.
The directors of the Gaudí theater insist on the need for aid to the cultural sector for the survival of a theater of these characteristics, because “the public is not monolithic and the theater offer must be diversified”.
Blanchet concludes: “The aid goes against the popular theater. It is seen that it has to be boring and that it is not understood so that they give it value ”.
Catalan version, here
