“We don’t have a penny, we are up to our necks in debt, but very happy to see this dream come true,” say Pep Tosar and Evelyn Arévalo, who have completely renovated the Raval theater, on Sant Antoni Abat street in Barcelona. The hall belongs to the Carme parish, with which a 15-year, renewable rental contract has been formalized.
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In the main hall, named Tadeusz Kantor, the comprehensive renovation involved lowering the stage and tilting the stalls; gaining one meter, up to seven, in stage opening; installing a new fly system and changing all the lighting and sound equipment; building a technical booth and rehabilitating, with all safety measures, the amphitheater, which had been closed. With all this, the stalls have 150 seats and with the amphitheater, the total reaches 193.
With the recovery of the amphitheater, the capacity of the Tadeusz Kantor hall reaches 193 spectators
On the right side of the hall, an open-plan room has been recovered, which will function as a café concert. Named Damià Huguet, it houses the bar, run by the pulpería Riquiño; about fifty seats distributed around small tables, and a 3×3.5 m stage for small concerts and performances.
Tosar and Arévalo form the company Oblideu-vos de Nosaltres and will dedicate the new theater as the headquarters for their past and future productions. “It is a hall very much to our measure, so we will be able to revive many of the shows we have done so far,” says Tosar. Thus, performances begin on May 12 with the revival of the show Federico García, ten years after its premiere at the Grec Festival, and they want to produce two new ones per season. “And that it hosts many companies from the city and becomes a meeting place,” he adds.
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After the usual delays of a renovation, this mini-season that is now beginning is completed with different schedules and using both halls. In the main one, alternating performances, Léon a la terra dels homes, by Maria Pla, with Miquel Gelabert and Òscar Intente, based on two books by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, premieres on May 19. The Damià Huguet space will open with Set maneres de ser Hamlet, by Josep Pere Peyró ( 22/V-3/VII).
In the large hall, L’enterrador, a monologue by Gerard Vázquez based on a historical character from Paterna, interpreted by Pepe Zapata (27/VI-26/VII), will also be seen. There will also be a family show, L’impossibilista, by Sergi Buka, illusion and reality with magic, objects and shadows ( 6-27/VI). And live music will be featured in both halls. With four artists per season, La Gran Blue Nit will be premiered by Elisabet Raspall with the presentation of the album Aletheia.
Among the own works they want to revive are La casa en obres, about Blai Bonet; Sa història des senyor Sommer, based on Patrick Süskind’s book; Molts records per Ivanov, by Pep Tosar, and Oblideu-vos de nosaltres, the text Evelyn Arévalo wrote based on Kantor’s poem, which they premiered in 2012. As actor Miquel Gelabert said on his way out: “Opening a theater has never happened to me before and it makes me very excited. And if it’s true that they will revive previous shows, maybe they will call me.”
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