Javier Bermejo born in the summer of 1984 in Sahagún (León). Trained at the Municipal School of Performing Arts of León and at the Higher School of Dramatic Art of Castilla y León, he was also awarded a scholarship to receive classes at the Saint Petersburg Theater Academy (Russia). He is currently working on ‘Divinas Palabras’ under the direction of José Carlos Plaza, a co-production of the Centro Dramático Nacional and Faraute Producciones. Also in professional companies in Castilla y León (Teatro Corsario, La Quimera de Plástico or Valquiria Teatro) and Asturias (Quiquilimón) on texts by both classic and contemporary authors under the direction of Juan Margallo, Margarita Rodríguez, Carlos Martínez-Abarca or Jesús Peña , among others. Being, in addition, a candidate for three consecutive years as Goya for the best supporting and revelation actor, there are several films and short films in which he has participated, standing out for the emotion that involves shooting in his province, León, ‘Half an hour (and a epilogue) ‘, in 2018, a fast-paced drama with a lot of suspense.
Javier, a simple, humble person, with very clear ideas and, above all, who exudes kindness, a friend of his friends and a lover of his land, with his participation in the cast of Divine words, subtitled Village Tragicomedy, one of the best known theatrical works of Ramón María del Valle-Inclán, whom he managed to reach through a casting, represents a qualitative leap in his short but fruitful professional career in the always complicated, scarce and difficult world of theatrical and cinematographic representation. The action of this universal work revolves around the family of Pedro Gailo, a sacristan married to María Gaila who has a daughter, Simoniña. Pedro Gailo’s sister dies, leaving a hydrocephalus dwarf – masterfully represented by Javier Bermejo – who is exhibited at fairs by his relatives to get money … NOTICIASCYL talks to the actor.
Javier, what a year for the theater with the pandemic.
In our case it has stopped us dry. We started the season in Madrid, at the María Guerrero, plus a few bowls that we had done before, a little later and the whole tour stopped us short. Fortunately, we have completed the vast majority of what we had planned. But of course, that has its repercussion on a tour that is normally one year and has become more than two, it is a disaster. There are casualties, substitutions and people drop out because this is too long for many actors. There are many assemblies, but the vast majority are stopped. That is the poor situation of the theater in general.
And in the world of Culture, what a problem.
Yes. I personally do not complain because we continue touring, we are doing performances, not only with ‘Divinas Palabras’, I’m doing more, but then what that entails is that you go to the theaters and find that it costs because the sensations are very sad. It’s sad, but contrary to that, mind you, there is half capacity or less than half capacity and, instead, people to be noticed, so that you as an artist who have been there, I would say they applaud up to three times. It is like a ‘feedback’ in which they say we have been here. If we should be clapping 400, now we are 200 or 100, but we clap three times. I would swear that it has happened and it is very nice also in this pandemic situation.
And the public response?
In general with ‘Divine words’ very well. There has been an audience standing, there has been everything … In other places, I imagine what usually happens in this world, they will have skinned us, I suppose. Not only in Madrid, it is like that everywhere. It is a very big exhibition to do ‘Divinas Palabras’ and represent Valle-Inclán. If with any work it never rains to everyone’s liking, with this one, then neither.
How do you see the cultural sector, specifically theater and cinema, in Castilla y León?
Phew! You almost have to measure the words, because it is delicate, but it is almost non-existent in cinema. And in theater it is practically the same. I think there is a lot of abandonment. I do not know what to tell you. Before there were more professional companies in the different provinces. Now this practically does not exist. Companies like Corsario, the first one I have worked for, which have been operating for nearly forty years, are in a very precarious, very poor situation. We would have to defend our product more in Castilla y León, to get into the matter a bit. Come on, we should do a bit of what they do elsewhere. And it is not to be radical, but here everyone enters, let’s say, and we do not enter everyone. I don’t know if I have explained myself clearly. We should defend more the product of Castilla y León. So, if you want to succeed, you have no choice but to go to Madrid or Barcelona. But I had never wanted to go to Madrid. I always said, if I go to Madrid it is with work, if not, I will not. I speak professionally.
We would have to defend our product more in Castilla y León. Here everyone enters, let’s say, and we do not enter everyone.
Don’t you think that if someone really wants to succeed, a dancer, a singer, an actor, they have to go through Madrid?
I don’t want to defend that, huh? In fact, I still live in León. Yes, but it’s true. What is undeniable is that where there are more possibilities is there. I’m not saying you have to go there. I say that there are more possibilities, obviously, everything is more centralized and there are many opportunities. But hey, creating can be created from anywhere. I continue to do things in León on my own. Continuous with companies from Valladolid. I am with ‘Divinas Palabras’ in Madrid. But if the time comes, if a very powerful opportunity arises or something very important that we would have to settle in Madrid, then we would have to do it anyway. Of course, yes, of course, it has annoyed us. It is also the largest city in Spain.
We are clear that what does not go to Madrid does not exist.
Now, of course, the projection that is achieved there is not available anywhere else. I guess that’s why. But just as that happens, the opposite happens. Because since everyone goes to Madrid, in the end it is what they call a little black snack out there. We are in a very delicate moment in all professions, but in mine I cannot say what else, because it sounds very selfish, but there is an amount of intrusiveness that is horrible. Today everyone is an actor in Madrid, in Valladolid, in León. Everybody is considered an actor having done nothing.
What is the sector doing to clean up this situation of intruders in Castilla y León, for example?
Respect for Castilla y León, right now, to clean, or what they consider to be cleaning, they have removed amateur companies from the circuits, which seems to me an important vein so that later there are professionals. I understand that it separates, what I do not understand is that it mixes. But beware of annihilating it.
There is an amount of intrusion in my profession that is horrible. Today everyone is an actor in Madrid, in Valladolid, in León … Everyone is considered an actor having done nothing.
The situation of the theater, at a general level, at what moment is it? We are going to place ourselves in the month of January 2020, in moments before the pandemic.
My feeling is that we are never okay. That is a reality. It should be a more valued job. This has to do from the beginning, from Education itself. How are we? If we look at January 2020, there was a bit of a resurgence within how difficult this job is, when interesting things were being done. I imagine, and hope, that after this situation, these big crises, there is usually a strong resurgence. It is the only good thing that we can get out of this right now, that the return is powerful, strong, because now people will be afraid, but they will also have more desire to return to the places. The moment I think was not bad. But this situation has hit us very hard. The moment was not bad, although it is never good,
If you don’t have subsidies, there is no culture.
It is that in this of official aid the rest of the sectors are always attacking. They think that actors live on subsidies and it is not like that. As an actor, I have not received a grant in my life. Subsidies, so that people know, are given to entrepreneurs. And the entrepreneur does with them what he can, or what he wants, or what he knows, or what suits him. I think that subsidies would not be so necessary if people value theater and culture in general more as it deserves. Theater and culture would be bought. But since it is not bought and the theater is still a minority thing, it is necessary to push the creators.
How is your professional life today?
In the last three years I am at my best in the artistic sense. I have seen an evolution from having finished school and started working as an actor. I have been in professional companies such as La Quimera, then moved to Corsario, now being in two national theaters in Madrid. It is my best moment, within how precarious this profession continues to be, a job not to live, it is to survive.
Subsidies would not be so necessary if people value theater and culture in general more as they deserve.
And what part survives in León?
León, Sahagún is my land. It’s that I feel so identified with León. I like to live there. It is a very comfortable city, very beautiful, very easy to drive. You survive, you survive … Or maybe it is that I have a hard time detaching myself from there. But I think that in the end you have to wait for time to decide. In the end, time is king.
What do you have in mind for the future?
Many times you want to make plans, but you realize that life decides on its own. I don’t know if it’s worth planning too much. Notice that I get a little silly, a little philosopher, but it’s true. I realize that I have chosen what I wanted to do, but surely I have not chosen how. It was always clear to me since I was a child that I wanted to be an actor, but how, in which the roles are chosen, the path is being made. You have to continue, you have to be persistent. Right now I have a theater proposal for later. They have come to me, but when I choose to do something, I choose it. Generally, I believe that life is deciding.
What proposals do you have?
If they go well, two and a few more. But since everything is done over time, it is cooking over time and we are in a regular moment, it is better to let it be still.
An interview in Salamanca, next to the Torrente Ballester sculpture in the Novelty, an emblematic café, and the Plaza Mayor in the background. What do you suggest to an emotional person like Javier Bermejo?
I have the memories that when I came to Salamanca I remembered a lot, of course, the last events that have happened to me in my life, since the last time I came to Salamanca was with my mother (who died months ago). And it’s a weird feeling. I have come to see friends who were studying here, because I was not a university student. I came to see a colleague of Sahagún who was studying here. I came to see a countryman, Carmelo Gómez, who performed here.
I associate Salamanca with general memories and then, of course, I associate this place and the city with the filming of the movie ‘While the war lasts’… .. I also see Unamuno there. I don’t know, I like Salamanca, it has always been a city that gives me a very good vibe, very energetic, a lively city. Yes, but hey, that is also associated with other harder moments, perhaps, or more complicated. Life…
Anything else?
I do not know what else to tell you. And thank you for bringing me here. I have loved the site. I did not know him. I have always come in passing or to enjoy the nights or hospitals. Sure, I have not enjoyed very quietly. But I love this place.
A scene from the play ‘Divinas Palabras’, by Valle-Inclán. In the image, Javier Bermejo, a hydrocephalus dwarf on a wagon, who is exhibited at fairs by his relatives to get money
–
