ALICANTE ARNICHES THEATER
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creating: Theater Industry. Address: Jordi Purti
A few clowns, men and women, but no extravagant clothing, excessive makeup or flashy wigs. They stage maneuvers that poke fun at the everyday circus and the rhythms of daily life that impact the environment, while inviting a respectful stance toward nature. It is a didactic show designed for the whole family, featuring two performers who draw on the art of traditional street theater in a circular setup, with the audience gathered around the acting area or seated in a room like Arniches.
Since 2002, the Catalan company La Industrial Teatrera has collaborated with Jaume Navarro and Mamen Olías to present this approach. Their aim is to spark smiles and spark curiosity across diverse audiences by presenting the heritage they craft and the interpretive skills they wield. The performances rely on wordless communication and vivid sound design, inviting spectators to engage through visual storytelling and physical theater. It is a visual, concept-driven experience that nudges viewers to rethink conventional patterns for personal and collective benefit.
The two characters appear inside a dumpster filled with garbage bags, a stark image that asks what kind of world future generations will inherit. It is an existential, symbolic drama reminiscent of Beckett’s theater of the absurd, urging reflection on how heritage might be improved to secure a healthier future. Under the direction of Jordi Purtí, the duo conveys sensitivity, contemplation, and humor, balancing weighty themes with playful interaction.
They explore across the stage the resonances of music, discovering how a simple object can become a source of laughter or melancholy. A book may transform into a flying seagull; a vinyl record can hum to life as it is caressed; a globe that seems to crack and explode becomes a visual metaphor for fragile ecosystems. A discarded doll is manipulated as a puppet, inviting the audience to see waste and beauty coexisting in the same space. Some spectators are drawn into the act as they shake a sea of plastics, highlighting the pervasive reach of pollution while inviting collective responsibility.
The audience participates in a shared action by helping to toss bags into a container, keeping the stage clean as a pledge to ecological care. They pass through a doorway, breathe anew, and listen to the soft sounds of rain as plant life begins to flourish. In this moment, a cleaner world is presented as welcoming all living beings with renewed hope and vitality.
References: La Industrial Teatrera and collaborators offer ongoing, environmentally conscious performances that blend social commentary with visual poetry. The work emphasizes play as a serious vehicle for reflection, encouraging families and communities to consider their relationship with nature and with each other. The show is noted for turning ordinary objects into powerful symbols, using clowning and quiet humor to engage audiences without resorting to fear or didacticism (as documented by the artists and their partners).