The Galician playwright Tito Asorey from Ourense, born in 1977, notes that audiences tire of every movie and TV show about their land that centers on drug trafficking. Yet she believes this narrative still deserves a voice. The adaptation is led by the author and it is being transformed into a stage production titled Farina. Nacho Carretero’s work resonates with her; she read it with a sense of astonishment, imagining the legal mind of Pedro Ventura who appears in the TV series of the same name. On stage, the centerpiece becomes an entire community, a living map of Galicia told with local humor and a distinctive temper.
He portrayed the drug traffickers’ lawyer Pedro Ventura in the series Farina. Has there been consideration of bringing that character to the theater as well?
Not in the exact form. Reading Nacho Carretero’s book sparked a thought about a possible play, but the project only moved forward after a call from Xosé Antonio Touriñán, the driving force behind this venture. He has a knack for turning ideas into reality, and that spark launched the production.
What did that television chapter contribute to the process?
It offered substantial guidance. Once invited to act in the series, the actor immersed himself deeply in the research. He already knew the history, but the screen work pulled him into the world of it all. This documentary sensibility informed the direction, guiding the decision to tell the story from a different angle and through a new lens that theater uniquely provides.
Undoubtedly, Galicia itself becomes the principal character.
Indeed, the aim was a piece without solitary heroes, mirroring the series’ approach but expanded into a theatrical tapestry. The people, the landscape, and the regional economy drive the drama. The theater format allows a broader exploration of these dynamics and shapes a narrative where the roots and consequences of the drug phenomenon are laid bare for examination.
There was emphasis on telling the story from Galicia’s perspective.
Everything on stage is in Galician. The lighting designer, the set designer, and all performers share the language and the cultural stance, which felt essential. The production aims to tell the tale with the community’s own rhythms, humor, and habits—an approach deemed fundamental to its essence.
Why are there only five actors to portray more than fifty characters?
Five performers can create the illusion of many more. They sing, dance, and play instruments, turning the stage into a dynamic mosaic. This pacing is a strength of the staging. The choice of five as a number reflects a deliberate aesthetic: a compact cast that conveys breadth and energy. It would be wonderful to have more actors, but the current ensemble delivers a powerful presence, and there has never been a shortage of talent willing to join future productions.
Has the rise of streaming in Spain influenced how such phenomena are explained through fiction?
We live in an era where fiction saturates media. The creators have long documented the theater as a robust, factual base. From this grounding, the show was born. There is a constant blur between reality and script, underscoring that audiences seek a truthful depiction even when the medium is fiction. Characters often speak with their real names, and the line between documentary and narrative stays visible. Reality becomes a powerful storytelling tool when used with intention.
There is so much fiction around us that theater becomes a way to capture the truth.
When the past is not just past, does a solid foundation become indispensable?
It does. The project aims to present a complete story rather than a partial one. The writer, who has studied history, subscribes to the view that history is a living, contemporary force. Each trailer, each moment on stage, informs the audience about the present by tracing how economic, social, and even mental structures emerged from historical events. The Galicia of the 1980s and 1990s is not forgotten; its impact persists, challenging the idea that everything was resolved with a single crackdown. The narrative shows that globalization continues to move wealth and influence beyond local borders.
Today, the exact identities of drug traffickers are hard to pin down.
That uncertainty adds danger. The names linked to the era, the symbols of power and luxury, remain known to many. The visible signs of wealth have faded, yet the phenomenon persists. The money and networks travel, echoing a global system where production, transport, and profits operate beyond easy local containment. The production uses these realities to illuminate a broader metaphor about globalization’s reach.
Globalization appears to outrun drug trafficking as a local issue.
The dream of deregulated markets without state intervention remains a lure for some. The cocaine trade, however, is not just a local problem; it embodies a larger, cross-border dynamic. The production cycle, supply chains, and financial flows connect distant regions in a web that defies simple boundaries. The commentary underscores that this is not merely a crime story but a reflection of global economic systems in tension with local realities.
Is the atmosphere in Galicia shaping the political undertones of your work?
The theater project captures the era of political and social ferment in Galicia. It echoes a period when parties proliferated and public life carried a heavy sense of consequence. The writer describes this as a hangover from political excess, one that needed to be faced with honesty and a dose of practicality. The aim was not to glamorize any side but to portray a community wrestling with complex choices and their long-term repercussions.
What about the broader outlook for Galicia, its future beyond drug-related narratives?
Hope persists for a Galicia free from drug trafficking, authoritarian tendencies, and self-doubt. The project embraces a political and social stance within practical means, balancing commercial viability with a commitment to provocative questions. It has mounted more than 250 performances, yet its purpose remains clear: to provoke dialogue and spark reflection about the region’s past, present, and potential futures. The show’s provocative approach is intentional, aiming to highlight a lost generation while inviting honest discussion about the paths forward. The creators insist that the work stays unflinching in its inquiry, even when its method appears unconventional, because truth can sometimes sting before it heals.