There is surely no more explicit recognition of the talent of Oriol Broggi, the visible head of the La Perla 29 company and Catalan theatre in general, than scheduling 28 i mig [28 and a half] for four weeks at a venue like the Théâtre National La Colline in Paris, on the invitation of its current director, Wajdi Mouawad. The play, which has been especially well received, premièred at the Teatre La Biblioteca in 2013, and even then its wealth of imagery impressed everyone. Broggi explained that one third of the inspiration for the montage came from Fellini's legendary film Otto e mezzo, in which an uninspired director (Fellini's alter ego) surrenders to his dreams and frees his subconscious while staying at a spa. According to Broggi, another third of the inspiration came from the story of the company itself and the shows it has staged or would have liked to have staged, while the last third came from the contributions of its performers.
Music, theatre, literature, life and cinema are combined in a show with immense lyrical power, which recreates Fellini's universes, but also includes references to other film directors, such as Ettore Scola, and Pasolini, wonderful moments of theatre ranging from Uncle Vanya and Hamlet to Primera història d’Ester, Italian songs and even an aria or two. All brought together to highlight those stories that make existence a little more bearable and which are brought to the stage with unbridled imagination and enormous acting work, with the performers continually taking on new characters. This was one of the first shows created by the company, which until then, had worked with pre-existing texts.
The piece is staged by the actor and director Oriol Broggi, who was born in 1971 and directed the El Vallès Drama Centre from 2003 to 2007. In 2002, he formed La Perla 29, a performing arts centre with which he created the Teatre La Biblioteca. The company's other shows include Incendis (2011), Cyrano de Bergerac (2012), Natale in Casa Cupiello (2013), L'orfe del clan dels Zhao (2014), Una giornata particolare (2015), Boscos (2017), El poema de Guilgamesh, rei d’Uruk, which opened the 2018 Barcelona Grec Festival, Filomena Marturano (2021), along with the more recent hybrid cinema and theatre experience, Hamlet Aribau (2021).
A La Perla 29 production.
With the support of the Catalan Ministry of Culture, the Spanish Ministry of Culture and Sports and the Ramon Llull Institute.
Idea, direction and stage: Oriol Broggi, Text and adaptation: Jeroni Rubió, Oriol Broggi, Performed by: Laura Aubert Blanch, Guillem Balart, Xavier Boada, Màrcia Cisteró, Enrico Ianniello, Blai Juanet Sanagustin, Clara Segura Crespo, Montse Vellvehí, Joan Garriga, Marià Roch, Marc Serra, a horse, Assistant director: Rita Molina i Vallicrosa, Lighting: Pep Barcons, Costumes: Berta Riera, Sound: Damien Bazin, Video: Francesc Isern, Original music: Joan Garriga, Characterisation: Àngels Salinas, Hairdressing: Isabel Trias Singing work: Pablo Puche, Horse training: Josep Maria Segú, Company stage managers: Marta Garolera, Rita Molina i Vallicrosa, Albert Reverendo, Marc Serra, Company dressmakers: Elisabet Meoz, Berta Riera, Company technicians: Juan Boné, Roger Blasco, Produced by: La Perla 29, Special thanks to: Focus, Jaume Viñas, Carles Segura, Marco Ruggero, Dagoll Dagom, Teatre Lliure, Sala Beckett, Anna Castells, Ariadna Carreras Photography: Bito Cels, David Ruano
La Perla 29: Gina Barbeta, Silvia Barrera, Juan Boné, Oriol Broggi, Clàudia Càlix, Judith Cunegatti, Juli Macarulla, Anna Novell, Bet Orfila, Cesc Pastor, Marta Rebulà, Albert Reverendo, Marc Serra, Georgina Toboso and Blanca Arderiu
