Director Anna Serrano Gatell presents a drama by British playwright and author Molly Taylor, which deal with the complex facts and implications von Cancel Culture explains. The piece can be seen from November 15th to 24th at the Teatro de La Abadía (John of the Cross Room).
The piece Cacophony is based on a text by Molly Taylor, which in turn is based on an idea from the book So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson. In the original script, the story refers to a rape committed by a football player in Belfast, Northern Ireland. However, in the version by Oriol Puig Grau and Anna Serrano Gatell, the action was moved to Barcelona and the football player is unknown.
The focus of the plot is the young Abi, who takes part in a feminist demonstration in protest against the rape of a woman by a football player. When an attack occurs at this demonstration, Abi posts a comment on social media that then goes viral. But it soon turns out that Abi wasn’t entirely honest, and a “lynching campaign” against her begins on the Internet. A haunting production played by the actors Martí Atance, Laia Manzanares, Mariona Pagès, Chelís Quinzá, Clara de Ramon, Mima Riera and Clara Sans.
The British playwright Molly Taylor wrote the plays, among others Old Times, The Wave, What Was Left and Love Letters to the Public Transport System. Your piece Extinguished Things sold out at the 2018 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and received a Critics Circle Award at the 2019 Adelaide Fringe Festival.
Shapes:
Event: Teatro de La Abadía – Room Juan de la Cruz
- Text – Molly Taylor
- Director – Anna Serrano Gatell
- Darsteller – Martí Atance, Laia Manzanares, Mariona Pagès, Chelís Quinzá, Clara de Ramon, Mima Riera, Clara Sans
- Version – Oriol Puig Grau and Anna Serrano cat
- Translation into Spanish – Eva Mir
- stage design – Judit Colomer Mascaró
- lighting – Marc Salicrú
- costumes – Chloe Campbell
- Music and soundconcept – Arnau Vallvé
- Movement – Ester Guntin
- Hairstyling – La Trini Hair Salon
- Production – Sala Beckett
- Support – British Council
Dexcept: approx. 1 hour and 40 minutes
In what ways does the play challenge or reinforce the audience’s perceptions of accountability in the context of social media, and how do you hope to foster a deeper understanding of this complex issue through your performances?
As the website editor for world-today-news.com, I would love to interview Director Anna Serrano Gatell and one of the actors from the play, Cacophony, regarding the upcoming show’s take on cancel culture and the complexities associated with it. Here are my questions:
1. Director Anna Serrano Gatell, can you tell us more about how you became interested in bringing this play to life? What attracted you to the story, and how does it relate to contemporary society’s obsession with “cancel culture”?
2. Molly Taylor’s original script is based on Jon Ronson’s book “So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed.” How did you adapt the story to make it relevant for a Spanish audience, and how did you ensure that the themes of the play remained intact?
3. Marti Atance, as an actor in the play, can you share your insights on your character’s journey in the story? What does Abi represent in the context of cancel culture, and how do you think the audience will react to her character’s struggles?
4. As mentioned in the article, Cacophony will be performed in Spanish with a translation by Eva Mir. How does the language barrier affect the message of the play, and what steps have been taken to ensure that it resonates with Spanish-speaking audiences?
5. Cacophony deals with heavy topics such as rape, social media backlash, and public shaming. As a director, how did you approach these themes to ensure they were portrayed responsibly and thoughtfully?
6. Molly Taylor’s playwriting career has been marked by plays that explore societal issues such as feminism and politics. As a director, what drew you to her work, and how do you think her voice contributes to contemporary theatre?
7. what would you like the audience to take away from this production? Is there a particular message or call to action you hope they’ll leave with?
Thank you both for your time and insights on this important topic. We look forward to seeing Cacophony at the Teatro de La Abadía and hearing more about your experiences bringing this play to life.
