The tango says that twenty years is nothing, but it is not true. For a company like La Perla, 29 is a lifetime, the consolidation of an artistic project that has borne tasty fruit in Barcelona theatre. To close the celebrations of these two decades, its director, Oriol Broggi, gives the public a whole Goldoni: Coralina, the loving servant, at the theater of La Biblioteca.
"Summer is coming, we came out of some difficult times, we have done darker works and it occurred to us to recover the idea of making another Goldoni", declares Broggi, referring to another successful piece of the house, L'hostalera, which was directed by Pau Carrió. "Goldoni is much more than a comedy. It was difficult to lift and assemble, but it is very easy to see: very nice, round and fun. And we are happy to be able to present this great team, because we like to do theater with a big production".
The director refers to the ten performers who bring this 18th century piece to life, headed by Mireia Aixalà, accompanied by a cast that includes a few regulars from the house: Joan Arqué Solà, Xavier Boada, Rosa Gámiz, Clara de Ramon, Xavier Ruano, Sergi Torrecilla, Ireneu Tranis, Ramon Vila and Jaume Viñas.
Coralina is the servant of the manor of Ottavio, who has been brought up with the heir, but now the lord is widowed at an advanced age and has remarried to a woman who pulls all the strings cunningly in order to that his own son be the recipient of the old man's inheritance. He has managed to banish the young man, and Coralina, demoted to the status of a last-level servant, has decided to follow him. Coralina, however, sets out to restore Ottavio's son's good standing. The mess is served.
"Goldoni is very modern - assures Aixalà -. Women are smarter, they are the ones who move the world and the maid is the smartest. In fact, the servants are smarter than the masters”. According to the actress, "it seems to be very simple because apparently nothing happens, but things do happen, and the characters are very complex. In addition, we constantly break the fourth wall”.
"The relationship between servants and lords, and between men and women is very important - remarks Broggi-. These are relationships that we are working on as a society today. The three women in the play are the ones who generate and solve the action. Sometimes they say sentences that seem written today."
"What's more complicated is finding the exact tone - confesses Broggi-. Goldoni takes the tradition of commedia dell'arte without masks and creates a new theatricality in Venice, a city that is being transformed. We have to place it in our moment. Doing Goldoni and watching Goldoni today is exciting”.
Vila signs with Broggi the version they have made, "which is not an adaptation", where they do not play with the Venetian and the Italian standard. "Goldoni makes good use of the cliché that says that important things are said in a simple way - says Vila-. With the characters you have to do it very well so as not to put more bread than cheese. The actors and actresses have also helped to find the style and tone."
Coralina, la serventa amorosa is the last play of this season of La Perla 29. It premieres at the La Biblioteca theater on May 31 and will tour Catalonia next year. "It's not an Estrella Damm advert, but it's a summer song that caresses you", concludes Broggi.
