European Theatre Initiative Unites to Highlight Forgotten Women in History
Across the stage, a group of actors affiliated with Alpine Theater merges with the European educational innovation project to spotlight women who shaped history, culture, and science yet remain largely forgotten. Members of Marina Baixa Women’s Heritage contribute their efforts, weaving together diligent work and historical curiosity to honor female figures through performance and education.
Under the guidance of Benidorm-based director Ricardo Molina, the troupe rescues a 17th-century text by Feliciana Enríquez de Guzmán, a playwright of her era, known for her bold voice. The work, titled “Las gracias mohosas,” is slated to premiere in the Benidorm Cultural Center auditorium next Friday. This amateur theatre production elevates a voice from the past, inviting audiences to witness how a woman from the Baroque period confronted social norms with wit and audacity.
Education becomes a European intellectual reservoir when it includes female references across disciplines. The project was inspired by the advocacy of Women’s Heritage and emerged through the collaboration of Ana López-Navajas and Isabel Llopis Mena. The company’s director stresses that reviving this obscure text offers more than historical value; it also fuels a renewed interest in a author who, beyond poetry, embodies a cultured and forward-thinking woman whose reputation has often been eclipsed by male contemporaries. Lope de Vega is mentioned as a contrasting figure whose prominence overshadowed Feliciana Enríquez de Guzmán in her own time.
Very little is widely known about Feliciana Enríquez. Born at the tail end of the 16th century, she had two sisters who were nuns in Seville’s Santa Inés Convent. The text “Las gracias mohosas” appears to have been written to entertain the nuns, according to Molina, who notes the playwright lived her final years in a monastery yet was never staged in her lifetime.
Another perspective on this production is illustrated by the company’s work environment. A second appearance of Enríquez de Guzmán’s writing is motivated by Women’s Legacy, a program that champions women’s contributions and crafts a space for their works within modern theatre. The project underscores how a rarely celebrated author can still impact audiences today, even if her life story reads like a hidden chapter from the Spanish Golden Age.
From frenzy to burlesque, the process reveals its adventurous core. Alpí Teatre’s leader describes the project as the most intricate production the company has undertaken in its decade-long history, given the challenge of translating historical text into contemporary performance. The piece centers on a playful, politically provocative drama that sheds light on madness, satire, and the imagining of a world beyond conventional norms.
The Benidorm Cultural Center welcomes the troupe’s first Amateur Theater Show. The production of “Las gracias mohosas” and Feliciana Enríquez de Guzmán’s talent are expected to captivate audiences who enjoy a bold, humorous exploration of love and rivalry. The plot follows four men who fall for the same woman, Aglaya, whose two sisters complicate the possibility of marriages. A playful joust, arranged by Baba Baco, tests suitors and ultimately suggests that a shared, unconventional solution – all four men marrying all three sisters – would bring happiness to everyone, as summarized by Molina.
Ten years of dedicated effort have shaped Alpí Teatre into a group of new actors and seasoned professionals from Marina Baixa. Directed by Ricardo Molina, a Master in Dramatic Art from the University of Alicante, the company has pursued a mission to bring classic works closer to younger audiences through thoughtful adaptations. The ensemble thrives on a collaboration that spans local and regional connections, extending its reach within and beyond Marina Baixa.
During the tenth anniversary, Alpí Teatre premiered and plans to re-stage “Las gracias mohosas” on March 10 at the 21st Mostra de Teatre de l’Alfàs del Pi. The show then travels to Benidorm Cultural Center Auditorium on a Friday evening with free entry until capacity is reached. The tour will continue to venues such as the Corral de las Comedias de Almagro and Madrid, among other cities within the Valencian Community.
A collaborative effort involving more than 130 European institutions, Women’s Legacy is a European Erasmus+ KA201 education innovation project launched in 2020. Its goal is to embed women’s contributions in history, culture, and science into educational materials, with a strong emphasis on transferability and language adaptability. The partnership features nine organizations from Spain, Italy, Lithuania, and Scotland, including Glasgow City Council, the University of Valencia, the University of Vilnius, and El Legado de las Mujeres, a Spanish association working to elevate women in secondary education.
The consortium also includes Valencia Intersindical’s Melchor Botella Union Training School, IAL Nazionale, IES Benicalap, and IIS Luigi Einaudi. More than 130 institutions have participated in the project, ranging from schools and conservatories to cultural centers. Women’s Heritage continues inviting organizations to contribute to the study, creation, and distribution of materials that translate classroom learning into genuine progress toward equality.