THE JÁCARA OF IMPOSSIBLE BODIES

 ESTRENO 18-19 JULIO 2025

48 FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE TEATRO CLÁSICO DE ALMAGRO

SYNOPSIS

I always imagine shows that I would like to see or pieces that I think someone will need to see to have a small revelation, a firm possibility or simply to feel a moment of communion and beauty. Let this Jácara be valid to widen the world and give space in its new form to all the people who have never been challenged by the dramatic texts of the Spanish Golden Age. Stories that despite containing a rich and beautiful diversity of all kinds have always been told with the weight of the norm and hiding the different under the carpet. Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

In this “Jácara de los cuerpos imposibles” we bring all those stories out of the darkness, we brighten and glorify them. I take as my own this mission to go into our past and widen history, open gaps and connect the dots between epochs as a living manifesto for all good-hearted humanity that understands that there are people who live in the cracks trying to understand each other in a world that seems not to narrate us but in which we have always been. Sometimes you know that person, sometimes you hold that person, sometimes you are that person.

This show is for everyone, for everyone, for everyone. Today we take shape, we defy matter and time in a sicaliptic cabaret designed by Ruth Rubio and threaded by scenes of Calderón de la Barca, Ana Caro de Mallén, Guillén de Castro, Pérez de Montalbán and Lope de Vega. Authors who have left us an immense legacy to all the outcasts that today we see ourselves reflected in their verses that we take as ours today in this bridge between the past and the future.
We are just that, a bridge that connects emotions and bodies that once said they were impossible, that did not exist, that were mythological animals and yet today they are in front of you. Breathing. Dancing. Being free.

REFERENCES TO THE GOLD CENTURY

The JÁCARA was one of the satirical genres that were represented in the intermission of the comedies of the Spanish Golden Age and enjoyed great popularity. The characters were usually delinquents, rogues, pimps, handsome or people from the underworld. Originally, the jácara was not a dramatic genre as such, but a poem sung and sometimes danced, known all over the world, which was very popular. At the shout of JÁCARA! before the dance began, the public requested the continuation of the THEATRICAL PARTY.

Ana Garriga and Carmen Urbita are creators of the podcast Las Hijas de Felipe. They are PhD academics specialized in the Spanish Baroque. Halfway between frivolity and strict academicism, they explore from their podcast in a format in which there is room for dissidence, queer and class consciousness. That is why I count on them as instructors and traveling companions in this project in which their wisdom and certainty will give us unexplored spaces in stage creation.

Ruth Rubio (Punta Umbría, 1989) is a playwright and theater director. She began her career directing plays such as Sarah Kane's Ansia and Buero Vallejo's La Fundación. As an author, she has premiered Ponedle pantalones a la luna, Maldetierra/Landsick and Los Ignífugos, the latter awarded with the Romero Esteo and finalist in Heidelberg. She has received grants from Sala Cuarta Pared, Goethe Institut and the Swiss government for projects such as A body lands in nowhere. In 2022 she participated in the X Programa de Dramaturgias Actuales del INAEM with El pulso de las candelas. In 2023 he collaborated with the Centro Dramático Nacional and Sala Beckett. In 2024 he premiered Still (Tientos de la ruina futura), Dies ist ein Platz and the opera La Plaza, as well as publishing Los Inflamables. He will soon present Zambra de la buena salvaje in 2025 and 2026. His work combines creation, direction and research with an international scope.

ALBERTO VELASCO

An indispensable actor and creator on the Spanish stage he has worked with Marta Pazos in “ORLANDO” 2025, Lola Blasco in “EL TEATRO DE LAS LOCAS” 2024, Marta Carrasco “DIES IRAE” 2009, “NO SE SI...” 2011, Hiroko Tanahasi & Alicia Soto in “SUPERGRAVITYZEROGRAVITY” 2009, Carlota Ferrer in “TIRESIAS” 2024 “LOS NADADORES NOCTURNOS” 2015 “ESTO NO ES LA CASA DE BERNARDA ALBA” 2018, “LOS NADADORES DIURNOS“ 2023 (Actors Union Award for Best Supporting Actor in Theater 2023) With Chevi Muraday in ‘JUANA’ 2018 ‘CENIZAS’ 2013 / ‘EN EL DESIERTO 2015 (Max Award of Performing Arts for Best Dance Show 2015), Alberto Conejero in ’CLIFT/ACANTILADO” 2014, Juan Carlos Pérez de la Fuente in “NUMANCIA” 2016, David Serrano in “BILLY ELLIOT, THE MUSICAL” 2017.

As a director and stage creator his productions have been seen all over the world: “VACA! “ 2007, “LA INOPIA” 2018 “ESCENAS DE CAZA” 2017, “DANZAD MALDITOS” 2015 (MAX Award of the Performing Arts for Best Newcomer Staging 2015) “DANCE TO DEATH” at the GREC festival 2017, “CUANDO TODO CAMBIA” 2020 by Itziar Pascual and Amaranta Osorio, ‘ATRA BILIS’ 2021 by Laila Ripoll or ‘SWEET DREAMS’ 2022 (Godoff Award Best Staging 2022 and Best Actor Award of Teatro Unión de Actores 2022).

His last piece as a creator has been “MOVER MONTAÑAS” 2024 co-produced by the International Festival TAC of Valladolid and Danseu Festival de Les Piles (Award to the most innovative show in the XXV International Festival TAC of Valladolid, Finalist to the Best Dance Solo of the year in the Premis de la Critica de Barcelona 2024).

He also does the stage consultancies for the productions of Manuel Liñan “VIVA” 2019 (Jerez Critics Award 2019 and Max Audience Award 2020) “LA OTRA ESCENA” 2020 and “PIE DE HIERRO” 2021 or Carlos Rodriguez “ETERNO” 2022, Lucia Alvarez La Piñona “LUCIA EN VIVO” 2025 or Isabel Vazquez in ZAMBRA DE LA BUENA SALVAJE 2025.

ELENCO

LUCIA ARESTEGUI

ARTISTIC TEAM

THANKS

WORKSHOPS ON STAGE CREATION
WITH
ALBERTO VELASCO