In 1976, Barcelona was in political tumult, and this turbulence also spread to the theatre profession. The previous year had seen the closure of the Teatro Nacional de Barcelona, and unemployment was rife amongst the city's actors, whilst the listings were dominated by commercial entertainment of dubious quality, programmed directly from Madrid. On the fringe of this "official" theatre scene, however, another was being born, a phenomenon that would become known as "independent theatre". Many of the key figures in this young, courageous, engaged theatre later went on to form the Assembly of Actors and Directors.
However, in November 1975, the dictator was dead and, even though democratic elections had not yet been held (these would eventually take place in 1977), the wind of democracy was already blowing through. Taking advantage of these favourable conditions, the Assembly of Actors and Directors organised a season at the Teatre Grec in Montjuïc where, from 1973 to 1975, Maria Lluïsa Oliveda's company had already staged programmes of dance, music and theatre. The Managing and Executive Commission for that first Grec Festival was formed by Mario Gas, Jaume Nadal, Josep Maria Loperena, Josep Torrents, Ricard Salvat and Carlos Lucena. This was, then, a collective of actors who, unusually, programmed works themselves, without intermediaries of any kind, in what was very much a self-managed festival.
Music was very much the protagonist, though not the only one, at this first festival, which was marked by the inevitable police arrests. The musicians that took the Grec stage included Pau Riba, Iceberg, Ramon Muntaner and Maria del Mar Bonet, amongst others, whilst the theatre programme starred such artistes as Rosa Maria Sardà, Enric Majó, Rosa Novell, Núria Espert, Comediants and a long list of similarly committed professionals.
The following year (1977), the festival programme, which was still organised by the Assembly of Actors and Directors, opened with by a critically-acclaimed show by the Bread and Puppets Theatre, directed by Peter Schuman. Theatre weighed heavier in the programme than music this time around, but the Grec did not enjoy the same success as in the previous year. Moreover, whilst 1976 was the year of unity, the 1977 festival ended with such acrimony and criticism that the Grec was not even organised in 1978.
In 1976, Barcelona was in political tumult, and this turbulence also spread to the theatre profession. The previous year had seen the closure of the Teatro Nacional de Barcelona, and unemployment was rife amongst the city's actors, whilst the listings were dominated by commercial entertainment of dubious quality, programmed directly from Madrid. On the fringe of this "official" theatre scene, however, another was being born, a phenomenon that would become known as "independent theatre". Many of the key figures in this young, courageous, engaged theatre later went on to form the Assembly of Actors and Directors.
However, in November 1975, the dictator was dead and, even though democratic elections had not yet been held (these would eventually take place in 1977), the wind of democracy was already blowing through. Taking advantage of these favourable conditions, the Assembly of Actors and Directors organised a season at the Teatre Grec in Montjuïc where, from 1973 to 1975, Maria Lluïsa Oliveda's company had already staged programmes of dance, music and theatre. The Managing and Executive Commission for that first Grec Festival was formed by Mario Gas, Jaume Nadal, Josep Maria Loperena, Josep Torrents, Ricard Salvat and Carlos Lucena. This was, then, a collective of actors who, unusually, programmed works themselves, without intermediaries of any kind, in what was very much a self-managed festival.
Music was very much the protagonist, though not the only one, at this first festival, which was marked by the inevitable police arrests. The musicians that took the Grec stage included Pau Riba, Iceberg, Ramon Muntaner and Maria del Mar Bonet, amongst others, whilst the theatre programme starred such artistes as Rosa Maria Sardà, Enric Majó, Rosa Novell, Núria Espert, Comediants and a long list of similarly committed professionals.
The following year (1977), the festival programme, which was still organised by the Assembly of Actors and Directors, opened with by a critically-acclaimed show by the Bread and Puppets Theatre, directed by Peter Schuman. Theatre weighed heavier in the programme than music this time around, but the Grec did not enjoy the same success as in the previous year. Moreover, whilst 1976 was the year of unity, the 1977 festival ended with such acrimony and criticism that the Grec was not even organised in 1978.
