A modern interpretation of traditional Spanish musical theater arrives at the Alicante Main Theater, inviting audiences to reconsider the genre known as género chico. Originally a mid nineteenth century subgenre of zarzuela, género chico was designed to entertain with compact plots, brisk rhythms, and lively songs. The current production leans into that heritage while testing its limits, offering a curious blend of nostalgia and irony that may divide audiences but certainly stimulates conversation about what musical comedy can be today.
The dramaturgy is crafted by Alvaro Tato, and the company presenting the piece is Ron Lalá, a troupe established in 1996 that has returned to Alicante multiple times. The work invites spectators to watch a captain and his android companion travel to a distant red planet. When they reach the Martian city of Martid, they prepare to celebrate a local verbena, a traditional festival that in the show is performed with a distinctive twist within the musical numbers and stage movement. The narrative uses the familiar frame of a voyage to Earthlike distant worlds to explore modernity’s tensions and the playful side of cultural exchange.
In its tonal range the show tends toward light satire and playful parody rather than pure spectacle. The humor is rooted in clever wordplay and agile stage business, with a measured reliance on the interplay between music and dialogue. Tato’s writing draws on costumbrista memory and zarzuela sensibilities, while letting the Martian setting amplify the sense that tradition can collide with futuristic aspirations. The effect is a surging sense of possibility that remains anchored by recognizable human emotions and relationships, even when the setting shifts from Madrid to a neighboring galaxy.
The production is anchored by a dynamic creative team. The staging by Yayo Cáceres maintains a confident sense of pace, and the lighting design, crafted by Miguel Ángel Camacho, embraces the luminosity and shadows necessary to heighten comic timing and emotional resonance. The ensemble features strong vocal performances from Juan Cañas, Daniel Rovalher, Miguel Magdalena, Luis Rotana, and Diego Morales, whose voices carry the humor and pathos of the piece through a series of memorable numbers. Musical highlights include songs that evoke Madrid and its cultural icons while venturing into new melodic territories that feel both familiar and fresh to contemporary audiences.
The show’s approach to zarzuela’s traditional repertoire leans toward parody rather than a faithful replication of the older form. It employs chotis rhythms and celebratory tropes of Madrid life, yet it also introduces a playful critique of the era’s social mores and the larger-than-life dreams that define exploration narratives. The result is a theatrical experience that invites the audience to smile at the cleverness while pondering the consequences of rapid technological change and planetary colonization.
Despite its ambitions, the reception among the Alicante audience has been mixed. Some viewers appreciated the inventive dialogue and the brisk tempo that kept the evening buoyant. Others felt the balance between homage and spoof tilts toward lightness at the expense of deeper dramatic stakes. Still, the show succeeds in generating conversation about how musical theater can evolve, especially when a contemporary lens is applied to a historically rooted form. The affectionate tone and accessible humor make the experience inviting for a broad spectrum of spectators, from long-time followers of Ron Lalá to newcomers curious about a genre that continues to reinvent itself.
In summary, this Alicante staging offers a provocative hybrid: it nods to traditional theater while pushing into the realm of speculative storytelling. The combination of witty writing, robust vocal performances, and imaginative production choices creates a layered experience that can entertain, charm, and provoke reflection. For audiences seeking a lively night of music theater that refuses to stay safely inside the lines, this production is worth a thoughtful listen and a patient watch, a reminder that cultural forms survive when they are willing to play with their own conventions.
At its core the show is about the tension between cherished customs and the unknown future. It asks whether humor can soften the impact of colonization and disruption while still honoring the joys of shared song and festival. The answer presented on stage is nuanced and affectionate, a testament to the resilience of performance as a living art form that negotiates memory, aspiration, and community. Marked moments of joy and irony punctuate the journey, leaving audiences with both smiles and questions about what comes next for género chico and its evolving descendants. The audience reaction proves that the night resonates with a cross section of the public, even if some tastes diverge on the balance between tribute and satire.