Wrapped in a poetic halo that emphasizes the magical realism of Isabel Allende, the theatrical version of the house of The spirits has come to the board in london of the hand of the Cervantes Theatre, unique institution in the Uk that is dedicated solely to the playwright hispanic. On Wednesday, it was premiered in Spanish and last night, a version in English, therefore bilingualism is another of the hallmarks of this theater installed on the south bank of the Thames.
The love, the family and its ghosts, but also the socio-political changes operated in a Latin american country without a name (although Chile is very recognizable), roam this adaptation by the author american Caridad Svich, spanning four generations of a family saga with a role almost all of their women. The production will be in London for five weeks, is expected to premiere next summer of another theatrical version of the same novel —this time signed by Anna Maria Ricart— in the Spanish Theatre of Madrid.
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The written Spanish expands in London, The house london of Bernarda Alba
Isabel Allende —who saw catapulted his name to stardom literary with the publication of the house of The spirits in 1982— was not able to attend finally to the premiere night of Wednesday, by being immersed in the promotional tour for his new book. But his brokerage has been key to the modest london theatre to obtain the rights that required the representation of the work inspired by his first and most famous novel.
The address of the madriñeña Paul Paz, co-founder of the Cervantes Theatre, together with Jorge Juan, puts the emphasis “on the importance of memory, not only of the Trueba family, the protagonist of the story, but of social memory and politics of a country”. The proposal meets the challenge of abridging a novel very dense, whose plot expands from the 20’s of the last century until the darkness of dictatorship that takes over everything and everyone in the 70’s. The scenery drawn well-the constant jumps in space and in time. The sound design of the composer tenerife Yaiza Varona otoga each “spirit” —the matriraca Nivea, their “magical” daughter Clara and their descendants-White and Dawn— a voice in the form of a motif.
In this adaptation is the youngest of this group of strong women (Alba) who acts as the narrator from a cell of torture of pinochetismo. Gives life to the mexican actress Pia Laborde-Noguez, bilingual like the rest of the performers, which has allowed all unfold in the versions in Spanish and English. Highlights in the production, the multinational character of the cast, with actors from Mozambique, Venezuela, Spain, Colombia and Chile.
With the premiere of the house of The spirits, the headquarters of the Cervantes Theatre in the district of Southwark (the same one where Shakespeare placed the legendary Globe theatre) culminates a season consecrated to the authors, directors, translators and actresses. Under the title They take the word, for your scenario, you have passed from may productions and readings dramátizadas with the signature of the creators of the Spanish contemporary theatre and new dramaturgy, in addition to the premiere of a new cycle dedicated to the Golden Century.
Founded in the year 2016, this showcase of hispanic theatre in the square, London thrives on an audience in which are interspersed resident Spanish and Latin american, some English fans that they can overcome the language barrier with the double version of the works in their own language and, above all, many students. Because between this last colony the Spanish has become a language of fashion, which in the last year and for the first time exceeded the French as the chosen by a majority of undergrad to study for the entrance examinations to higher education. The theatre in Southwark wants to be one of the weapons of this phenomenon, and is already preparing for next February a tour of the british isles with The house of Bernarda Alba.
