The Second Woman

Nat Randall / Anna Breckon

Teatre Lliure Montjuïc - Sala Fabià Puigserver 06/07 - 07/07

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A unique actress and a unique setting, but repeated 100 times with 100 different partners over the course of a 24-hour day. Do you want to see it on-stage or close-up on screen?

Your experience in this show will not only be theatrical but also cinematographic, and beyond anecdote and repetition, it reveals the mechanisms of gender power and male privileges. On-stage is an actress, Maria Hervás, who over the course of one complete day welcomes 100 on-stage companions, one after the other, from professional actors to many others who aren’t, all to repeat the same ritual: a conversation between a couple whose relationship has lost all creativity and romanticism. Perhaps it won't always be the same scene, because the dialogues are written to encourage variation and make different kinds of movement possible. You can see what happens (harsh but not violent, and including sexual verbal content) in its full format on-stage. But if you want to see the details of the gestures that reveal an emotion, you’ll have to glance over at the screen located next to the stage. Therefore, both artistic languages complement one another in a show designed for the audience to enter and leave the theatre at will. However, whoever stays seated for a while will find that beyond the differences, all the participants who identify with the male role may reproduce the same behaviour, share the same mood or react similarly when they feel threatened.

All of this was dreamt up by Anna Breckon, an independent artist, film-maker, film scholar and critic who holds a PhD in Queer and Feminist Film Theory from the University of Sydney, and Nat Randall, an artist who works at the intersection of performance, video and film. Seen at London's Young Vic in 2023 with the actress Ruth Wilson, the show caused a sensation.A co-production by the Grec Festival de Barcelona 2024 and the Teatro Central of Seville.

Artistic card

Co-creators: Nat Randall & Anna Breckon. Script & direction: Anna Breckon & Nat Randall. Video direction: EO Gill & Anna Breckon. Camera operation: EO Gill. Lighting design: Amber Silk & Kayla Burrett. Sound composition: Nina Buchanan. Set design: FUTURE METHOD STUDIO. Original hair & makeup design: Sophie Roberts. Produced by: Performing Lines

Performing: María Hervás.

On-stage companions: Manu Nova, Guillem Pérez, Rodolfo Alonzo, Izan Andrés de Paz, Jordi Escruela, Gerard Clavell, Queco Novell, Màrius Santamaría, Albert Rodon, Andrey Montero, Toni Sanchez, Quim González, Vincent Wu, Xavi Barriuso, Toño Esparza, Izaskun Barbàrie, Jan Sorribas, Gilles Denizot, Luis Peset, Xavier Inglada, Pepe Peña, Frank Trobok, Iñaki Arregui, Esteban Ciulla, Pedro Mas, Guillem Talens, Abner Lins, Martí Fontcuberta, Joan Fontanals, Caleb Featherstone, Gonzalo Bastardas, Vanessa Geldres, Pau Jiménez, Baltasar Ramis, Enrique Fernández, Fletcher Fran, Yeison Forero, Eduard Cecília, René Ruaix, Oscar Valsecchi, Eduard Pérez, Toni Puntí, Iñas Urrosolo Martínez, Guillem Delgado, Javier Fernández, Jose Carlos Justo, Oriol Vélez, Tyler McKechnie, Pedro Locubiche, Felipe Ponce, Pol Toro, Gerard Valldeperez, Roger Vilà, Francisco Baglietto, Pep Ambròs, Javier Martorell, Juan Balaguer, David Medina, Iker Colomo, Carles Armengol, Sergi Luengo, Felip Pairó, Pepe Zapata, Tur Morán, Eduard de Vicente, David Torres, Joan Maria Pascual, Leo Raventós, Caterina Domènech, Fidel Pallerols, Josep Maria Gassó, Guillem Sobrepera, Gerald Gimeno, Fabián Gómez, Aleksandar Jevtic, Joan Amargós, Derwins Alvarez, Joan Segalés, Felix Pons, Edgar Murillo, Isaac Navarro, Yago Magallanes, Juan Dàvila, Manuel Marín, Marià Vendrell, Luis Salas, Miguel Angel Urquieta, Teo Marco, Luigi, Genis Bolívar, Nil Ferré, Eduard Rovira, Blai Puigmal, Luis Báez, Joan Pàmies, Jesus Yustos.

Rehearsals companions: Kike Salgado, Wilder Palacio, Pau B. Díez, Marc Pineda, Daniel Rodríguez, Josep-Lluís Carbó, José Bermúdez, Magda Durán, Albert Domenech, John Edwar Correa, Sienna Vila, Rita Molina, Guillem López, Dídac Jordà, Xavier Eicaurte, Joan Oller, Quim Ríos, David Anaya, Mario López, Joe López, Xavier Ricart, Fortià Prat, David Velasco, Sebastià Martín, Albert Vidal, Albert Balada, Yeison Forero, Joan Vitòria, João Pecegueiro, Lluís Arruga, Bernat Gaya, Alfred Artes, Toni Franco, David Canals, Germán Parreño, Guillem Gelabert.

Translated by: Neus Ribas, Jonathan Holloway. Researhal actor: Fèlix Pons. Movement assistance: Iona Balcells. Assistant director: Rita Molina. Coordinator of participants: Eva García (ComuArt). Participants stage management: Sienna Vila. Make up and actress assistance: Núria Llunell. Stage management: Sienna Vila, Marta Colell, Maria Piniés. Technical coordination:Guillem Gelabert. Sound: Roger Ábalos, Guillem Pol. Video and camera: Custom Project. Executive producer: Jenny Vila (La Mecànica). Production direction: BITÒ. Photography: Juanlu Real Duotó, Alice Brazzit.