tristura
The Contemporary Writers’ Spanish Theater Exhibition presents a dynamic lineup this Tuesday in Alicante, featuring a fresh production in the city and a revival of a storied tragedy-comedy. The longstanding Hongaresa Theatre company returns with Lola López and Pep Ricart leading a dialectical duel between two larger-than-life figures—an acclaimed theater critic and a celebrated diva—set within the intimate confines of a home once shared by a couple on the brink of separation. This contemporary piece, directed by the author, echoes Greek myth while grounding its drama in modern tension. The production marks a ten-year milestone, bearing the imprint of a past release and a renewed commitment to bold, character-driven storytelling.
The performance, held at Teatre Arniches on 7 November at 20:00, unfolds as a study of memory, art, and the price of fame. The plot centers on a married pair who rediscover the house they once inhabited together, only to confront the unraveling of their relationship. In a world where theater criticism often overshadows performance, López and Ricart embody a prestigious critic and a dominant diva, revealing the friction and fascination at the heart of theatrical life. The revival by Hongaresa de Teatre arrives a decade after its initial release, reaffirming its status as a contemporary tragicomedy that nods to Ancient Greece while remaining unmistakably modern.
On stage, the narrative extends beyond the couple, drawing a portrait of an artist who once drew crowds in the world’s most prestigious theaters. The actor submerges into a life apart from the stage, as theater criticism gives way to a solitary devotion to bullfighting. The house, once full of books, records, and paintings from the pair’s shared era, now holds only empty whiskey bottles and a bust of the Missionary—an emblematic black bull that captures the character’s role as a dark messenger from the realm of the dead. This haunting setting magnifies the themes of absence, legacy, and the weight of memory.
tristura
Before this congress, Teatro Manager hosts another event at 20:30 this Monday. Future Lovers—the company’s most daring production—premiered on the national stage in Alicante. A large-format work driven by striking visual power, it features a group of Generation Z performers and aims at both younger and adult audiences. The production embodies a naturalistic style with existential underpinnings, a hallmark that distinguishes the Madrid-based company from its peers.
Future Lovers speaks to a generation that has grown up amid overstimulation and rapid technological change. It charts new forms of connection and desire, while the exuberance, fear, and longing for love among this circle speaks to universal experiences that resonate beyond the group itself.
Reading Club
As part of the exhibition’s parallel programming, the Pynchon bookstore in Alicante (Calle Segura, 22) hosts the XXXI edition’s first Reading Club this Tuesday at 17:30. The two leads of La Tristura, Violeta Gil and Celso Giménez, will present their book Our Movement (Punto de Vista Editores, 2022) at a free gathering with limited seating. The discussion will highlight three emblematic works from the Madrid theatre company’s history: CINEMA, Renaissance, and Future Lovers.