Four and a half years ago, the Cervantes Theater marked a milestone as the

first theater in Spanish in the birthplace of Shakespeare.

Against all odds, despite the double scourge of Brexit and Covid, the iconic setting created by actor, director and producer

Jorge de Juan

has continued to set the dramatic pulse in the iconic Southwark theater district.


"For fifteen months we have faced the challenge of how to bring the theater to a confined audience, how to reproduce that magical moment of communion between the audience and actors that occurs in a theater, but through a screen," acknowledges

Paula Paz ,

associate artistic director of the Cervantes Theater, who managed to fill the void with a long series of dramatized readings.


"Taxi Girl", by María Velasco; "Happiness", by Marilia Samper; "Tenant", by Paco Gámez or "The play to be played", by Miguel del Arco and Aitor Tejada, were some of the adaptations in English that had a

great reception during the confinements,

also seasoned with "In Conversation" with professionals from the scene in Spain, like Guillermo Heras, Paco Bezerra, Paloma Pedrero or Fefa Noia.


"We were clear that the path was the search for a hybrid language, an intermediate point between the theatrical language and the audiovisual language that would retain the best of both worlds," explains Paula Paz. "That creative opportunity has been very positive not only for us, but for many theaters and companies.

Live theater will always be there,

because there is a need for shared experience, but now there is also a parallel line of digital work that allows us to reach a wider and more diverse audience, and which also opens a door to new ways of creating. "


But reopening the doors from the Cervantes Theater after a year and three months, and vibrating under the arches of the elevated railroad in Southwark,

"is going to be exciting."

Paula Paz admits that there is great anticipation for the


rerun of "Ay, Carmela" by José Sanchís Sinisterra, who she directs again.


The premiere has been postponed from June 8 to 15 due to the setback of actress

Sofía Monreal,

who tested positive for Covid.

Paula Rodríguez will

play Carmela and

Jorge Lucas

will be Paulino in this tragicomic vindication


of memory as resistance, with the Civil War as a backdrop.

Sofía Monreal, characterized for her role.


La Noche / The night

(by José Luis Acosta) in co-production with The Area Stage Company of Miami will take over in September, followed by "El paseo de Joe Stummer" (by Juan Alberto Salvatierra) and "El Público",


by García Lorca . The V Cycle of New Spanish Dramaturgy and the

mentoring

project

for young directors,

Direct Your Future, will complete a program in which dramatized readings and new


audiovisual projects

will once again be included

.


"Our goal was to save the Cervantes Theater and reach the other side of the storm, remain close to our audience and continue generating projects," says Paula Paz, who appreciates the "unconditional support" of Acción Cultural


Española, the Instituto Cervantes and the embassy in London, as well as the Arts Council England, the British Government's cultural aid package and the support of the local Southwark district.



According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

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