On the first day we enjoyed ‘WC’ in the Plaza de la Constitución and ‘Aires, Hojas de viento’ at the Teatro Apolo
The Almería Children’s Theater Festival began yesterday, Friday, with a first day full of imagination, sensitivity and, above all, many smiles. From early in the morning, the little ones have become the main protagonists of a city that has once again demonstrated its commitment to family culture, filling emblematic spaces and theaters with excitement, curiosity and sincere applause. The contest is organized by the Culture Area of the Almería City Council, within the Christmas programming.
The day started at noon in the Plaza de la Constitución, which was transformed into a large open-air stage to host the performance of the play ‘WC’. Many boys and girls, accompanied by their families, enjoyed a dynamic and close show, in which physical humor, surprising situations and stage play connected with the children’s audience from the first moment. The laughter, the spontaneous comments and the constant attention of the little spectators evidenced the success of a proposal that turned the square into a meeting point to share laughter and emotions.
In the afternoon, the Festival moved to the Teatro Apolo, where the first of the scheduled performances took place: ‘Aires, sheets of wind’, by the Piero Partigianoni company. A poetic and delicate show that offered a more introspective experience, demonstrating that children’s theater can also excite, invite reflection and touch the hearts of adults and children.
On stage the story of Splinky was told, a little man trapped by the demon of loneliness, who mitigates his sadness by clinging to the memories of his past, stored in a huge trunk. He lives in self-deception, convinced that his old love still exists, and falls more in love every day with an accumulation of lifeless objects. Next to him, Sirius appeared, his Guardian Angel, specialized in listening, which little by little helps him connect with the present. Through clowning, silence and emotion, Splinky began a deep process of awareness that allowed him to say goodbye to his past, transform and open to a new life.
For some children, this has been their first experience with theater, and many of them connected with the emotional journey of the character, demonstrating a special sensitivity to the messages of the play: the importance of living in the present, expressing feelings and leaving behind what prevents us from moving forward.
The works in the Plaza de la Constitución (12:00 p.m., free admission) will continue today, Saturday, with ‘La mata de albahaca’, and tomorrow, Sunday, with ‘Ad libitum’.
As for the Teatro Apolo (5:30 p.m., tickets at the box office priced at five euros), today, Saturday the 3rd, will be the turn for ‘Under the roof’ by Pata Teatro and on Sunday, January 4, ‘El Bosque de Coco’ by La Buena Compañía will close.
‘Under the roof’ addresses the life of a housing block, where the people who live there are the protagonists. An old woman who knits a scarf, a neighbor who repairs stars from the rooftop, a salesman who, like a shooting star, leaves a piece of his past… They will observe the magic of all the little things that happen to them and seeing how each one, without knowing it, has enough energy to light up the night of their city. Everyone has their own story, without being aware that they are united by a common thread: the same roof. An exciting comedy that was born to remind us that the everyday, what happens every day, can be truly extraordinary.
Finally, ‘El Bosque de Coco’ is a multidisciplinary visual theater show for the whole family that combines dance, mask theater and puppets with which the functioning of the brain is addressed, taking neuroscience as a starting point. It will tell the story of a girl named Coco who is experiencing the separation of her parents, an emotionally significant event in the life of any child. To talk about how this change in family situation affects your brain and, therefore, your behavior and emotional management, the action is located inside your head, in a metaphorical forest, a forest that is none other than the neuronal forest that Ramón y Cajal talked about.
