As you may have noticed from the posters adorning the doors, walls and lamp posts of the city, the thespians are coming to town.
From April 4 to April 20, Bogotá will host it’s biggest theatre event of the year – and the one of the biggest such festival in the world. There is something for everyone, with over 450 performances, showcasing all kinds of acts – including circus, puppetry and pantomine.
Check out their website at: http://festivaldeteatro.com.co/
With so many possibilities, deciding what to see can be a difficult task, so we reached out to some theatre buffs and asked them what they would recommend:
| Gecko Theatre, Missing
By an English theatre company, this work of physical theatre comes highly recommended. A meditation on memory and the power of forgetting, main character Lily must choose between her imaginary world and the responsibilities of the real one. In English with a simultaneous Spanish translation, it’s a good way into the festival if your Spanish isn’t up to scratch. . |
La Jácara Mojiganga, El bolero de Rubén
A tragicomedy which tells the story of a couple in the París barrio of Medellín. A musical but not in the traditional sense of the word, the piece makes excellent use of its live band and the strong vocals of the actors. If you’re a foreigner with a good grasp of Spanish, this piece is a really enjoyable look into Colombian culture. |
Pandur Theaters and Teatro Nacional de Zahgreb, Medea
Director Tomaz Pandur returns to the festival in a co-production with Zahgreb National Theatre. A 21st century reworking of the Euripides tale based on the myth of Jason and Medea. This latest work will mark Pandur’s third time at the festival, and isn’t expected to disappoint. |
| Teatro Occidente, Buchner: La Hérida
This contemporary theatre piece uses multimedia to retell the works of Buchner, one of the Western world’s most famous dramaturgists. Using the German’s works as a starting point, the company “reflect on the existential crisis that affected man and the world during the French Revolution.” In Spanish with no translation. |
Teatro Libre, Yepeto
A play about tolerance, communication, human boundaries, the ability to dream and love. |
La Barracuda Carmela, Retrato involuntario de Luigi Pirandello
The story of an Italian writer told through the eyes of his schizophrenic wife. An intelligent comedy which deals with grand themes such as the nature of artistic creation and madness. Casa Ensamble- Carrera 24 #41-69 |
| SESC Bob Wilson, La Dama del Mar
Susan Sontag adaption of the Ibsen piece. This group from Brazil are on everyone’s want to watch list, as director Bob Wilson returns to the festival. The piece has been to five different countries, in five different languages, with Bogotá being treated to the Portuguese version(with translation to Spanish). |
Teatro Libre, La Orestiada
Aeschylus adapted by one of the best theater groups in Bogota with 35 actors on stage |
