Hitting a high note
Musicals dominate the new season in Barcelona's theatres with the return of Dagoll Dagom and La Cubana and a full drama programme at the Lliure and the TNC
Musicals make a strong comeback this season, and especially around Christmas the offer is stronger than ever. If last season the emphasis was on comedies, this year musicals look to go beyond a loyal audience base to draw in a wider public to justify the expense of the large casts and technical teams and the high production costs that they inevitably incur.
First there is Dagoll Dagom, which returns with its own show. After the success of Mar i cel (2014 and 2015) and its joint adventures with Súper 3 (Súper 3, el músical, 2013), Minoria Absoluta (La família irreal, 2012), and Catalan pop-rock musicians (Cop de rock, 2011), the celebrated theatre company presents Scaramouche, with a score by Albert Guinovart and libretto by Joan Lluís Bozzo, Joan Vives and David Pintó. The ambitious project, which has been kept in the drawer for some time, is on at Teatre Victòria, where it hopes to last the whole season. The last show Dagoll Dagom produced was Aloma (2008), based on a Mercè Rodoreda novel.
Meanwhile, the Gràcia-based Teatre Almeria will celebrate the Christmas holidays with a cabaret version of the legendary musical, Flor de nit, which was actually produced by Dagoll Dagom in 1992, with a libretto by Manuel Vázquez Montalbán.
From October 26 to November 18, Stage Entertainment is back with its musical version of Priscilla, an exhilarating comedy that is sure to be as spectacular as it will be funny. Then, leading production company Focus will present a musical directed by Lluís Danés and Xavi Lloses about the popular children's character Geronimo Stilton, subtitled the Gran Retorn a Fantasia, at Teatre Condal between December 2 and January 8.
The recognised director and choreographer (Fame, Grease), Coco Comín, will present the first tap-dance musical in the country: Moustache. The Rhythm Musical, which is due to open at Teatre Apolo on December 13. Along with La Perla 29, Àngel Llàcer and Manu Guix offer audiences El petit príncep until April 6 at Barts. While the music is not live, the show has all the ingredients of a great production, and combines powerful images with great music.
Another restaging worth highlighting is Much Ado About Nothing (Molt soroll per no res). Àngel Llàcer previously directed the classic at the TNC, but now the show features a new cast that includes Sílvia Abril and Guillem Albà, with David Verdaguer and Albert Triola playing the main characters.
The last big-format musical comes at the end of the season, with the musical, Homes, one of T de Teatre's first stage hits, which will be at the Teatre Condal, directed by Carol López and adapted by Sergi Belbel with music by Marc Parrot.
Teatre Lliure
Musicals aside, Teatre Lliure on Montjuïc is gearing up for a new season full of contrasts. From October 14 to November 13, Lluís Pasqual presents a show based on interviews with members of the Quinta del Biberó militia during the Spanish Civil War. In memoriam is the first show by the second generation of La Kompanyia Lliure and features all the male members of the company. Meanwhile, the company's female members are preparing Revolta de bruixes, by Josep Maria Benet i Jornet. However, perhaps the most highly-anticipated play at the Lliure this autumn is an adaptation of The Marriage of Figaro (Les noces de Fígaro), directed by Lluís Homar. The play is part of the theatre's 40th anniversary on Montjuïc.
Teatre Nacional (TNC)
The most eagerly anticipated play at the TNC is another classic. José Luis Gómez will play La Celestina, a gem of Spanish literature that has not been brought to the stage for 12 years. The last time it was, it gave us a thrilling performance by Núria Espert at the Lliure in 2004, as part of the Fòrum de les Cultures cultural programme. Until December 25, the TNC's Sala Petita will have La fortuna de Sílvia, by Josep Maria de Sagarra, directed by Jordi Prat i Coll, who is keen to recover a text by an author not recognised nearly enough in recent times.
Meanwhile, from October 23, the Teatre Poliorama presents El curiós incident del gos a mitjanit, which was a smash hit in 2014/15 at the Lliure in Gràcia, and in 2015/16 at Fabià Puigserver on Montjuïc. The show features Pol López under the direction of Júlio Manrique.
Then, the Teatre Goya brings us the first production in Catalan of Art, by Yasmina Reza, which on two previous occasions sold out the Teatre Tívoli. This time featuring Francesc Orella, Pere Arquillué and Lluís Villanueva, it aims to become one of the season's biggest hits for the Focus company. As for the Teatre Villarroel, it is always keen on the most committed contemporary drama. The theatre presents Time Stands Still (La Treva), produced by La Brutal, the production house of David Selva and Julio Manrique.
Smaller productions
Smaller venues also have plenty to offer this season. The Maldà theatre has L'últim sopar de Nadal, a production by Laruta, while at the Biblioteca de Catalunya, Oriol Broggi and Ferran Utzet direct Ernest Villegas in Un obús al cor, a monologue by Wadji Mouawad, from November 17 to December 18.
Teatre Akadèmi normally sells out at Christmas, and this year offers Sik sik y otros, by Eduardo de Filippo, directed by Guido Torlonia, as well as classics such as The Glass Menagerie (El zoo de vidre) by Tennessee Williams, and The Chairs (Les cadires) by Eugène Ionesco. Finally, faithful to its eclectic audience, in February Sala Muntaner restages El test, with a new cast. The theatre debut of scriptwriter Jordi Vallejo has a parallel production in a larger theatre in Madrid.
La Cubana flaunts its riches
The extremely popular Sitges-based company, La Cubana, returns to Barcelona's Teatre Coliseum with Gente bien. El musical, based on the work of the same name that Modernist painter, poet and playwright, Santiago Rusiñol, wrote a century ago. Directed by Jordi Milán and with a musical score by Joan Vives, the show pokes fun at the nouveau riche and their obsessive need to show off their wealth. As always with La Cubana, this production will be an all-dancing, all-singing spectacular show, or a “very special operetta” as they describe it, with a cast that includes Mercè Comes, Mont Plans, Jaume Baucis, Toni Torres and Meritxell Duró, among others. The show opened at the Coliseum following Barcelona's annual local festival, La Mercè, on September 29.