Just over a year ago, Brit Es Magazine published rumours of actor, director and producer Jorge de Juan’s ambitious plan to create a Spanish theatre company in London. One month later, the Spanish Theatre Company made their debut at the White Bear Theatre, a venue which played host to early performances from the likes of Torben Betts and Lucinda Coxon, despite being so small it barely holds 40 spectators.
Photo: Eloísa está debajo de un almendro, by STC
Just over a year ago, Brit Es Magazine published rumours of actor, director and producer Jorge de Juan’s ambitious plan to create a Spanish theatre company in London. One month later, the Spanish Theatre Company made their debut at the White Bear Theatre, a venue which played host to early performances from the likes of Torben Betts and Lucinda Coxon, despite being so small it barely holds 40 spectators.
Last week, STC performed their latest show, the original Spanish version of ‘Eloisa is Under an Almond Tree’ (Eloísa está debajo de un almendro), in Canada Water Culture Space, a modern and versatile room which seats 150. The move to a larger venue adds to a string of events that illustrate their success, with previous plays having attracted excellent reviews and strong ticket sales (tickets have actually been selling out). In this article, we look back at their journey into the spotlight and find out some of their behind-the-scenes secrets. The company’s infrastructure and relationship with London’s cultural landscape is already become a reality. Indeed, the company will soon be making a formal announcement that it is to open its’ own space.
The company’s infrastructure and relationship with London’s cultural landscape is already become a reality. Indeed, the company will soon be making a formal announcement that it is to open its’ own space.
Jorge de Juan — the founder, heart and soul of the project — has deciding on producing a series of staged, Dramatised Readings. These have engaged audiences so much that many return, eager for the surprises that each new play brings. The company is showcasing the work of prestigious, recognised professionals and emerging artists alike, including actors, composers, designers and costume designers, who are based in the British capital. De Juan holds auditions for each new show, during which he explains how the company works. Since most of the actors cast have day jobs, rehearsals do not begin until four days before the one and only performance. On the big day, the team is called in a few hours in advance, to give enough time for one dress rehearsal, where the actors will, of course, be holding scripts. Many of them know the text anyway, but it is still a useful prompt for dialogue, entrances and exits.
Once the show begins, the results of his vision are clear to see: the performances make everyone forget it is a “reading”, due to the artistry of the performers the scripts seem invisible. The actors who take part all emphasise how nerve-wracking and challenging it is to work in this way, but they find the experience immensely satisfying. “It’s mad, it’s a race against the clock, but we always get there in the end!” is the most typical comment from the actors who have participated. Catherine Boyle, José Luis Acosta and Andy Dickinson at the roundtable after the show The Night
STC’s operations are carefully planned, under De Juan’s leadership, supported by Paula Paz, his creative assistant, and with Andy Dickinson heading up production. Besides, they have many collaborators who are determined to show the best of Spanish theatre in London. For the future, there are plans for the visual arts, gastronomy, and music. Whilst the project is in its initial phase, the company will be producing Dramatised Readings by Spanish and Latin American modern and contemporary playwrights (with the shows in Spanish and/or English), all having an educational slant.
For the future, there are plans for the visual arts, gastronomy, and music.
Also, STC offers acting classes, which are aimed at both professionals and beginners; and they have plans to use theatre workshops in the community of Southwark and in London schools as a means of teaching the Spanish language.The space that STC is to open will have a studio theatre, a rehearsal room for rehearsals, workshops and classes, and a café/restaurant which will act as a Spanish/Latin American culture space open to all members of the public. All that’s left to do is to consolidate sponsorship from Spanish and Latin American businesses and institutions who pride themselves upon backing the internationalisation of heritage.
A little bit of history
Since starting its journey, Spanish Theatre Company has staged six public performances, the first of which was Andoni Ferreño’s version of ‘Hay que deshacer la casa’, by Sebastián Junyent. This was a collaboration between Jorge de Juan and Pablo Turégano, two heavyweights of the Spanish scene, who tried to demonstrate that there are alternative ways of producing works of theatre. Following this came the staging of ‘La casa de Bernardeta A’, by Lourdes Ortiz, first in English and then in Spanish. At this point, there had been a change in venue to Southwark PlayHouse, whose capacity was twice that of its predecessor. As well as the play’s author, the production saw the Spanish Ambassador, Federico Trillo, and esteemed figures from the Instituto Cervantes amongst its audience members.
The next performance was Ana Diosdado’s ‘Olvida los Tambores’. On this occasion, one of the actors was called away to work on a film, the day before, and had to be substituted. Again, De Juan and Túregano played roles, having barely studied the text at all. Yet, once again, they pulled it off.
Talented young actors got their chance in December’s STC Showcase, using Spanish texts in English and in Spanish. Some were experienced, but for others it was a great opportunity to appear before an audience. From the event two things became clear. Firstly, there is an abundant source of Spanish and Latin American actors in London, and secondly, STC’s production team are able to get the very best out of every one of them.
‘The Night’ was the first work performed entirely in English, with STC testing to see if there was much call for Spanish theatre amongst the English-speaking public. The cast was led actress Louis Taylor Smith, who played the role of Elena, and whose other works include being directed by Stanley Kubrick in ‘Eyes Wide Shut’, where she appeared alongside Tom Cruise. The well-known Spanish actor, Enrique Arce, the young Adela Leiro, and one of the acting course students, Ángela Jiménez, made up the rest of the cast. Again tickets sold out two days before the event. This time the surprise came from María de Juan, a singer and composer who opened the show with one of her songs, and who then played original music by Yaiza Varona on the piano throughout. The playwright, José Luis Acosta, who is also president of the Sociedad General de Autores de España, was present to see this premiere of his work. Louise Taylor Smith and Enrique Arce, scene from ‘The Night’, ‘Eloisa is Under an Almond Tree’ includes some multimedia scenes
Eloisa and a new direction
The following STC production was a Dramatised Reading of the entertaining comedy ‘Eloisa is Under an Almond Tree’ by Enrique Jardiel Poncela, which represented another step forward for the company. Now STC were working in the modern surroundings of Canada Water Culture Space, which incorporates a community space, a library and a theatre. With a capacity of 150 people, the space was put to ingenious use by De Juan and his team. Eloise is something of a challenge to stage since it involves around 25 characters, so the first scene, which has 14 actors, saw film images projected onto a screen, with which the on stage characters interacted. Later there was another projection, this time by the artist and theatrical designer Ángel Haro. His was a sketch of the setting described in Jardiel’s stage directions.
Eloise is something of a challenge to stage since it involves around 25 characters, so the first scene, which has 14 actors, saw film images projected onto a screen, with which the on stage characters interacted. Later there was another projection, this time by the artist and theatrical designer Ángel Haro.
The lighting (Pablo Baz), set design and wardrobe (Amaia Contel) were particularly impressive here, taking on greater importance than in previous productions. The stars of Eloise were the protagonists and the brilliant text, with lots of entrances and exits involved. Worth particular praise was Sofía Monreal for her role of Aunt Clotilde, a comic force which kept the audience smiling in every scene, and the brilliant STC debut of David Luque as Ezequiel, a bizarre character keen on cats experiments. Another debutant was Peruvian actor Sergio Maggiolo who gave a splendid performance as Dimas, the police officer impersonating a lame servant. Following this 27th February performance in Spanish, an English version was performed on 20th March.
The next Dramatised Reading will be ‘Nina’ by José Ramón Fernández, followed by Juan Mayorga’s ‘La lengua en Pedazos’, a text based on Teresa of Ávila’s ‘Libro de la vida’. Calderón’s ‘Life is a Dream,’ Lorca’s ‘Blood Wedding’, and Mayorga’s ‘La Tortuga de Darwin’, aimed at school groups, will take place in the autumn, to inaugurate STC’s permanent home, with performances in both English and Spanish. Castings will be announced for these productions soon, open to all actors in London and beyond.
Spanish Theatre Company is now an idea turned reality, which can only grow in the coming months, thanks not just to the work of its production team, but to the Spanish talent and creativity at its’ heart, and to the warm welcome and support of the London public.
© Photos by STC
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