A fresh, bright, and determined program for the spring season highlights topics such as diversity, feminism, and job security. The Arniches Theater will host more than 40 performances from April to June, spanning the performing arts: nine ballet or theatre pieces, dance and circus shows, concerts, family-friendly performances, and ten screenings at the Filmoteca. Notable guests include La Zaranda, Teatro del Barrio, Bob Pop, Albena Teatre, Andreu Valor, and Lali Ayguadé, with a special spotlight on five David Lynch films.
During the presentation of the program, the regional cultural authority noted the department’s recent recognition from two academic chairs for cinematic and documentary studies at regional universities. The remarks underscored the institution’s ongoing commitment to cultural analysis and interdisciplinary exchange.
The lineup is markedly plural, offering ten opportunities for artists from the Valencian Community as well as colleagues from other regions. Regions such as Galicia, Andalusia, Catalonia, Madrid, the Balearic Islands, and Aragon are represented, in addition to a French dance company (MA Compagnie-Marc Lacourt, recipient of the Feten Award 2022 for Monsieur Mott’s Sprinkles, on 14 May) and Peruvian vocalist Susana Baca, who recently earned three Latin Grammys.
The theater participates in the Abril en Danza and MOVA festivals, celebrating Alicante’s celebration of sexual diversity, identity, and gender. The festival’s first date features Cristina Gomez’s piece longing on April 16, followed by a colloquium, and on April 22 the Lali Ayguadé Company presents a new offering. MOVA runs from May 2 to May 7, opening with Bob Pop (Talía Prize 2023) and presenting the monologue Other People’s Days. It also includes neighborhood theater pieces about community life, and a performance about a girl’s journey in a skirt, along with screenings of My Emptiness and I, Close, and a title about a friend’s friend.
Upcoming productions include a highly regarded team presenting a new work on April 28 and May 12, exploring historical memory from a gender perspective. On May 19, a production focused on the daily lives of workers is staged, co-produced with a national dramatic center and centered on women, depicting the realities of cleaners. On May 27 Albena Theater revisits a nostalgic journey to give voice to those who are no longer with us.
The circus program opens on April 1 with POI, a troupe with multiple awards and recognition at Feten 2023. A second family-friendly show, Candela’s Farm from Pampol Theater, is scheduled for June 3, and L’Encanteri del Drac will close the family program on June 10.
Singer-songwriter Andreu Valor presents a fresh Monday best-of collection after earning recognitions at the 2022 Ovidi Awards and reaching the Carles Santos Awards final. A performance on April 15 features Alba Armengou and Alicante Vincent Lopez, closing a day that brings together professionals from Alicante and surrounding companies like Maracaibo Theater and other collaborations on June 9.
Arniches continues its collaboration with the VII Dramaturgy Tournament, with quarterfinals scheduled in Alicante on May 26.
fresh! Moving to Casa Mediterráneo
The IVC summer festival is gearing up for Fresca! 2023, celebrating its third edition at Casa Mediterráneo from July 20 to 30. The festival will blend broad-format programming with family-focused offerings in its main phase, and the organizers have hinted that Filmoteca d’Estiu may join the site for the first time.
movie library
Ten films are set to join the Arniches Film Library this quarter, including five David Lynch features: Eraserhead (April 13), The Elephant Man (May 11), Blue Velvet (May 25), Wild at Heart (June 8), and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (June 29).
Also on the slate are premieres and notable screenings such as a release of Jeddah Khaki (April 27); Dear Comrades related to Andrey Konchalovsky (May 18); a screening of Hong Sang-soo’s work (June 1); and a film by Jonas Trueba (June 15).
school campaign
The School Campaign for 22-23 concludes in May, with more than 3,000 students from primary and secondary training centers taking part. The program still has a handful of sessions available, balancing stage and cinema experiences for young audiences.
fertilizers
The regional culture administration continues to offer discounts and subscriptions. The Great Subscription provides 13 shows for 104 euros; the Jove Subscription also covers 13 shows for 39 euros; and the Letter Subscription allows a choice of 6 shows for 54 euros.