Four years since his last premiere, the director returns to the theater with a new production that he also directs. The project reunites Andrés Lima on a tour that runs through 2022. He collaborates on Our Secret Actions, a work written for him by the Argentinian playwright Lautaro Perotti. Perotti and Lima share the stage again following Chronology of Monsters, with Santi Marín and Macarena García playing central roles. García embodies the female lead who navigates a complicated, painful bond in a drama that translates Lorca’s Yerma into a modern stage experience. The play opens in Matadero, Madrid, on January 16, when Spanish ships arrive as a metaphor for desire and fear. The story centers on the longing to become a mother and the pressure of motherhood, as well as the fraying of minds and the collapse of relationships. It paints a portrait of a people who feel unseen, turning even their dreams into ghosts.
He has been active in theater, cinema, and television since the age of 17. His career includes a Goya Award, three Max Awards, and the Valle-Inclán Prize for Theater. He received a nomination for best supporting actress at the Feroz Awards for her performance in La Mesías. Two more films are on the horizon: Carolina África’s Summer in December and Clara Bilbao’s We Treat Women So Well. Machi stands out as one of the most admired artists, and audiences frequently ask about her current professional phase. When asked, she replies that she feels fortunate about the projects and the people she has collaborated with.
Of course, these projects are also very lucky to have you, right?
They may be fortunate because they found you, and it is a bit of luck that the paths crossed. The connections matter, and the timing felt right for everyone involved.
Who is Azucena in Our Secret Actions?
The role was proposed by Lautaro Perotti. Chronology of Monsters sparked the idea, and the team revisited it during the pandemic. Azucena is a female artist, a pianist, who faces the barrier of developing her career due to family duties, including motherhood. The character experiences entangled relationships that are intense yet hard to navigate. She shares a powerful bond with Santi Marín, a man who is not her kin but feels like family in a complicated, emotionally charged dynamic.
Societal acceptance of a mother who questions love for her daughter is a challenge
It is tough for society to accept a mother openly saying she does not love her daughter. The love exists, but the bond is not strong, and the social response is mixed. The mother in the story is talented but feels hampered by circumstances, believing she has fewer opportunities because of motherhood. The tension lies in a character who feels misaligned with the life expected of her and perceives a lack of support that could have opened further doors.
She blames motherhood for her character’s lack of success.
That assessment is harsh, yet true in the context of the play. The relationships are intricate because the two characters rarely say what they mean. They struggle with communication, despite deep, underlying care.
When I read the script, I sensed themes of illness and aging. Is that accurate?
With growing attention to mental health, the story explores how someone can suffer without adequate support. The central figure appears dominant and caustic at times yet remains fragile. A diagnosis of neurodegenerative illness is part of the narrative, blending aging pressures with emotional paralysis that complicates dialogue and action.
The dynamic between the two generations challenges the idea of mothers and daughters. How did you experience the shift when the role of daughter becomes the part of a mother?
It was a joyful turn. Being offered the mother figure after playing the daughter is a meaningful signal. It confirms that the craft is flexible and that acting can evolve in surprising, rewarding ways.
Is it a proven crowd-pleaser or a guaranteed success at the box office?
No certainty about guarantees, but the show is currently on sale and generating strong interest. The real reward lies in the audience’s reception, not in a label about being a blockbuster or not.
Should one feel proud of this achievement?
The performer answers with a quiet humility. It feels less like a personal victory and more like a collective achievement—the result of hard work across a team that values craft and collaboration.
What about the effort behind the production?
There is no room for vanity here. The artist speaks with evident modesty, reluctant to label the work in bold terms. The goal is to attract audiences to the theater and contribute to the vitality of the scene. The term blockbuster is avoided in favor of a grounded description of the project’s purpose and impact.
Is Machi comfortable with the diva stereotype sometimes placed on leading actors?
The actress rejects that stereotype. She emphasizes the collaborative nature of theater, where success comes from the whole cast and crew rather than one loud personality. The notion of stardom is unappealing when it overshadows the collective effort that drives a performance forward.
[El estereotipo de diva]
She insists she is not a diva. The label, she argues, is an inflated image that does not reflect the reality of an actor who works closely with others and relies on a shared sense of purpose. A star image can feel distant; the reality is a constant, grounded process of making art together.
What about living up to expectations and avoiding disappointment?
Maintaining balance is essential. The craft demands daily commitment, often without the cushion of a private life that film and television roles might provide. Theater is a hands-on world where the individual contributes to every step, a practice that keeps one connected to the art and its community. There is much left to grow, and that feeling keeps the work alive.
Which moment sparked your artistic journey?
The answer is simple: shaping other people’s lives brings happiness. There is no grand revelation, just a steady conviction that doing what one loves and sharing it live on stage is worth pursuing. When life is combined with work, it becomes meaningful.