RENAISSANCE: LA TRISTURA

Groningen, The Netherlands
August 13 – 15, 2021

The youthfulness of democracy under a microscope
The performance begins with a performance that is ending. Props and scenery are cleared, and between the gestures and movements of the technicians cleaning up, a choreography evolves, a dialogue, new friendships. Newly installed lights and props form the starting point for a new performance, a new beginning, a renaissance. The young Spanish theatre ensemble La tristura, who first performed at Noorderzon in 2019 with their remarkable Future Lovers (unplugged), now set out in pursuit of younger generations’ questions about how society works. Renaissance reconstructs iconic moments from the mere 50 years of Spanish democracy to date. They address its flaws and its dark sides, but always with a nod and a wink, and with a special interest on seeking new ways to re-engage with one other. Because wherever we find ourselves now, we got there together. Every day the future starts anew, irrepressible, immediately. La tristura make theatre for curious minds.

La Tristura
In their work, La Tristura tries to generate “human situations” in and outside the stage. They keep investigating the limits between documentary and fiction, between presentation and representation, with the intuition that intimacy and poetry are, essentially, political concepts. La Tristura collaborates with venues such as Festival de Otoño in Madrid, Cena Contemporânea from Brasilia, the Théâtre de la Ville in Paris, Grec Festival in Barcelona, Kampnagel in Hamburg, Auawirleben of Bern, and Noorderzon Festival in Groningen, among others. With a desire to keep connecting different agents and artists, trusting that, from these liaisons, inspiring and unexpected movements will grow.

Creation: La Tristura
On stage: Roberto Baldinelli, Belén Martí, Alván Prado, Mundo Prieto, Emilio Rivas and Marcos Úbeda
Lightning designer: Carlos Marquerie
Set and wardrobe designer: Cecilia Molano
Sound designer: Adolfo García
Production direction: Alicia Calôt
Technical direction: Cristina Bolívar
Technical coordination: Mathieu Dartus
Technical assistant: Roberto Baldinelli
Set and wardrobe assistant: Almudena Bautista
Production assistants: Mamen Adeva and Iván Mozetich
Choreography: Mucha Muchacha
Distribution and Communication: Art Republic
Press: Paloma Fidalgo
Photography: Mario Zamora
Curtains paint: Nuria Obispo, Olga López, Ana Arroyo  and Julia Navalón
Curtains collaboration: Théâtre De Liège and Sandra Belloi
Confection: Isabel López
Props: Ricardo Vergne and Mundo Prieto
Production: Teatros del Canal, Théâtre de Liège, Noorderzon/Grand Theatre Groningen, Ayuntamiento de Madrid & La tristura
Support: Prospero

More on Noorderzon’s website.