Tàrrega takes to the streets
The Lleida town's annual street theatre festival takes place in the second weekend of September with an accent on raising the international profile of local acts and artists
Catalonia's popular street theatre festival is back, scheduled as usual for the second weekend of September. Visual performances will be the main attraction at this year's Fira de Tàrrega, which also promises a range of local and international acts, with performances to delight stage arts fans and professionals alike.
The festival, which this year celebrates its 35th edition, will take place September 10-13, and will open with Compra'm, from the Insectrotròpics company. Compra'm, which mixes theatre, music, video installations and painting, is a live performance about the limits of happiness in the consumer society, starting with the Greek myth of Pandora's box and accompanied by the fascinating music of Tullie Rennie.
The aim of this year's festival is to boost the performing arts market by providing opportunities for Catalan companies to develop an international profile, with the accent on promoting new, emerging and non-conventional artists. As always, the fair's programme includes theatre, circus and street performances, and even puppet shows.
Must-see shows this year include La partida by choreographer Vero Cendoya, which brings together dancers, football players, a music band and a choir. Also, Lleida artists Íntim Produccions will offer Wasted by Kate Tempest, the story of three young people who reunite to remember their best friend, who died 10 years before. The play was inspired by the film, L'arbitro by Paolo Zucca. Meanwhile, Abast Elàstic aims to read the auras of the audience with the project A. U. R. A. (Ahora usted recibirà algo), and the clown Leandre returns with Iceberg, an “ode to beauty”.
Former guests
Among the participating companies are old guests of Fira de Tàrrega: Carla Rovira from the company LAminimAL, who will analyse how children and teenagers deal with theatre in Most of all, you've got to hide it from the chicks, while Mexican Vaca 35 and Teatro DERCA will deal with historic memory through an onstage gastronomy experience in the show, Ahora me doy cuenta. International acts include Cie Les Enjoliveurs from France and Dorrance Dance from the US.
FiraTàrrega 2015 will come to a close on Sunday 13 with the terror show Crudo Ingente, directed by Múrcia-based Sara Serrano and Pedro Guirao .
In all, this year Tàrrega has a 1.1 million-euro budget and will welcome a total of 56 companies, half of which are Catalan. The essence of the fair is to be found in the open air, with 83% of the performances taking place in the street.
For more information: www.firatarrega.cat.