Two production outfits, 90 Produced and La Mandanga Producciones, used their social channels to condemn what they describe as censorship. The Municipal Council of Quintanar de la Orden in Toledo decided to remove the series It Is Difficult from the schedule, planned for January 27 through the Castilla-La Mancha Theater Network, arguing that the actors appear in their underwear. The list of concerns was issued by the council’s cultural authority, and the producers claim the move stifles creative expression rather than addressing a real issue. They emphasize that no public complaints were brought forward and that the decision appears to hinge on a perceived visual moment rather than any substantive misstep within the production.
According to a narrative compiled by Europa Press, the cancellation notice was delivered in writing by the Mayor of Culture, María del Carmen Vallejo. The justification cited that the performers are shown in their underwear during a moment in a dressing-room scene, suggesting it could shock viewers. The producers counter that the scene occurs inside a dressing room as characters change costumes. If the performance took place in a different venue, the actors would be covered by lighting and movement, so the censorship seems to stem from a narrow interpretation of a dressing-room moment.
They argue that the work engages with current and serious themes, including bullying, suicide, and sexual diversity, and that it has reached broad audiences, including school groups, with an audience that exceeded 3,000 at prior showings. The producers state they have not received complaints or evidence of audience members being affronted by the piece, and they maintain that the work addresses important social issues rather than sensational content. The suspension is thus seen as a preemptive restriction rather than a measured response to audience concerns, critics say.
The veto is described by supporters of the show as an infringement on culture that prevents others from engaging with material that administrators may not personally approve. It is viewed as a policing action that substitutes political persuasion for artistic judgment, relying on public funds to enforce a particular standard of acceptability. Critics warn that such measures set a troubling precedent for future artistic programming and risk curtailing the free flow of ideas in the community.
The producers assert that the current moment in Quintanar de la Orden should not tolerate content-based censorship. They argue that public funds meant to support the arts should promote diverse expressions rather than suppress them. The cancellation, they contend, also affects the residents who were slated to benefit from the performances, since the show was financed in part by a subsidy from the Castilla-La Mancha regional authorities and cannot simply be redirected elsewhere. They insist there is no alternative action that could justify the decision and urge administrators to reconsider in favor of a more open and inclusive cultural policy.