Director Sergio Peris-Mencheta brings a powerful stage work to Alicante
Sergio Peris-Mencheta, born in Madrid in 1975, has built a career that spans acting and directing. He lives and works in the United States now, but his ties to theater remain strong as he directs the stories he loves. In Alicante, on March 11 and 12, the newest Women’s Football Club arrives as a chorus piece featuring eleven actresses who tell the tale of a group of women who decide to form their own football team in England in 1917.
What is seen on stage?
The play recounts the women who stayed behind as men went to the front during the First World War. They stepped into factory work, initially in textile mills, and as the war dragged on, many factories became munitions plants. Some women carried out tasks traditionally reserved for men. They were paid, though not equally, and their wages marked the beginning of a kind of women’s liberation. A second phase follows as the women discover they can become a football team on their own. From there, they find an escape to rediscover themselves through collaboration, friendship, and shared purpose.
Is it based on a true story?
Yes, while several football teams have existed since then and a women’s league has formed, the most representative source Massini follows is Dick, Kerr’s Ladies. That team became well known and even toured the United States.
What drew you to this story?
The initial pull comes from Massini himself. He sends a text that captivates the director, who then shares the project with a production partner. Although the work began as a monologue, the director immediately imagines eleven women on stage. The idea of showcasing eleven female performers has long held a strong appeal, and that impulse forms the core of this production. It honors the women of the past and those who stood in the shadows.
What about adapting a monologue for eleven actors?
The adaptation was a triumph. The actresses built a sisterhood that mirrors the camaraderie the onstage football team would cultivate. The director witnessed firsthand how they joined forces to achieve the seemingly impossible for their era.
Not a single player appears in the game. Was that intentional?
Yes, the piece centers on women executing the work, yet it speaks to all audiences. The director notes that even in other celebrated works, such as Lehman Trilogy, audiences may question whether men have a place here. This project emphasizes feminine leadership and collaboration rather than individual showcases.
Why music?
Massini’s writing lends itself to musical interpretation. Even when he does not compose, his prose carries a musical rhythm. Reading the text invites a sense of sound, and the production sometimes incorporates music, sometimes not. Period songs were studied to adapt the five-hour play into a more manageable length, with some songs kept and eventually shaped into a choral musical approach.
Are musicals better?
A play succeeds when it resonates with the audience, regardless of whether the director or performers are familiar to them. If people connect with it, the work will work. Early on, the aim was not to chase popularity but to pursue a subject that genuinely interests the creator. When passion fades, the narration suffers, so genuine interest guides the project.
How do audiences react?
Observe all performances to gauge response, as public feedback can shape the experience. In this piece, audiences consistently respond with standing ovations, and the venue often reports a sold-out audience. The production offers a vibrant space for performers, who juggle instruments, dance, and direct dialogue with the crowd. It feels like an immersive playground for actresses, a rewarding creative outlet.
Where is the fun for the director, on screen or behind the camera?
Debuting as an actor is like giving birth to a child you helped shape. As a director, one acts as a father, overseeing the birth from the room while constantly facing new challenges. Acting heals the artist, but directing provides the framework to articulate what matters most. In a culture that often labels talent, branching into directing helps colleagues recognize the width of contribution. It was difficult at first, but success in directing changed perceptions, allowing the artist to live more fully. The director found that life could be lived differently once that identity took hold.
Directing his own works added a new chapter to the career, as the director notes the shift from being known as the brat from the late 90s teen drama to earning lasting respect. The Alicante engagement on March 11 and 12 marks another moment where a chorus of eleven performers brings to life the story of women who formed their own football team in England in 1917.
What is seen on stage?
The narrative follows the women who kept factories running while men fought in the war. The shift from textile mills to munitions plants shows how women asserted control over work previously barred to them, and the wages, though lower, signaled a new phase of empowerment. The second act centers on the creation of a women-led football team, offering a vehicle for self-discovery through solidarity and friendship.
Is it based on a true story?
Yes, with inspiration from real teams like Dick, Kerr’s Ladies that toured internationally and inspired generations of players.
What attracted you to this story?
The fascination starts with Massini and grows as the idea to stage eleven women on stage becomes a compelling artistic pursuit, a tribute to generations of women who carved out space in history.
What about adapting a monologue for eleven actors?
It proved to be a triumph. The ensemble created a strong sense of sisterhood, mirroring the unity of a football squad and showing what a group of women can accomplish together.
Not a single player appears in the game. Was that deliberate?
Yes, the focus remains on women and their collaborative effort, appealing to audiences regardless of gender.
Why music?
Music helps shape Massini’s text. Period songs were explored to tailor the length of the production and to enrich the overall feel, eventually guiding the piece toward a choral musical approach.
Are musicals better?
Ultimately, the show works when it resonates. The director emphasizes pursuing subjects that spark personal interest, because genuine engagement drives storytelling more than popularity alone.
How do audiences react?
Feedback is crucial. The experience often evolves with audience responses, and the production tends to receive enthusiastic, standing ovations, with crowds engaged in many moments on stage. It becomes a vibrant experience for the performers, who juggle instruments, dance, and direct conversation with spectators.
Where is the most fun for the director, in front of or behind the camera?
Directing offers a kind of fatherhood in the creative process, while acting offers a mother’s touch. Both roles complement each other, and for the director, a shift in perception occurs as others begin to see value in different kinds of talent. The journey from the early label of Al salir de clase brat to recognized director was essential for personal and professional development.