HISTORY The building used for the theatre was originally a butcher place, in the prewar, later transformed into a elegants designers shop called Carlos Diez, then used as a brothel by prostitutes. In 2009, having been closed for over 20 years, a group of 21 actors and directors bought the place to transform it into what it is today, a theatre in the street of Loreto y Chicote, in la zona de la Ballesta, number 9.
When we went in, I immedietaly felt confortable in the place, as it was full of young musicians and university students, with jazz music on the background setting a very "cool" mood. In the first floor, there was a bar with chairs and sofas, and at the very end, there was a counter and 5 different scenes, each representing a different production. With a 15 minute interval between each session, we bought a ticket for two different plays, one being a drama about two sisters in a funeral who they just lost their father in a car accident, and the other one being a comedy in which a couple where in the hospital about to have their baby, when last minute confessions where made. They only cost 8 euros each!
What I found fascinating about this style of theatre is how well they managed to engage the audience in the scenes, and this I think they managed bu the close proxemics between the performer and the audience. As in every room, only a limited amount of 8 spectators where aloud to watch each time, and because the rooms where so small and compact, you could be sitting down and the actor could be sitting in the next seat. the characters would interact with each other, but would also involve the audience at times, like for example I was asked by one actress to take a picture of her new born baby ( this was all still in the scene!). At first I hesitated a bit, but I was so drawn into the scene that I took the picture and gave her back the phone as she kept on acting, left feeling like I was in the scene with her. I felt this way because the director, and actors, managed to transport their public to a different location, and by them being conscious of our prescence in the scene, it encourages us to feel confortable and interact back with them.This technique reminded me to some explorative strategies sed in theatre such as hot- seating, forum theatre and role- play, all involving the audience in a way or other.
The thing I was personally probably most amazed and overwhelmed about was the experience of being so close to the actors and being able to appreciate a professionals use of body language, gesture, movement, physicalities and expressions. I was very inspired about how real the situations were made, and how tension and hilarious attitudes where provoked inide me by the combination of the excitement of the moment, the emotive situations and characterization and the power of communication they managed to transmit to me.Their capability to keep their characterization all the time, even with the pressure of people laughing so closely to them I found admiring and full of merit, as I remember in the funeral scene, a member of the audience started laughing, breaking the mood first created of sadness and tension, but the performers where able to keep calm and continue. I was reminded of what I think is a very important value to have in any kind of art, and it is that of respect. I understood that it might be so difficult sometimes to be in their position, and therefore respecting a performance is something I will always remember, as I think of myself in their situation and I would feel very nervous.
At the end of the performances, we found out that all the performers were secondary actors from famous tv series ( the woman giving birth was the sister of a character called Aida, a famous woman in a series) and that the plays were normally directed by aspiring movie and script makers. I really enjoyed the idea and experience as I had never participated in that sort of theatre form before, and I would definitely repeat, as well as recommend it to anyone! Also, it has inspired me to want to participate in more extracurricular activities wich are challenging for me in order to improve myself as a performer!
http://www.teatropordinero.com/
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