“Misery” is the stage adaptation of William Goldman about the novel Stephen King of the same name, a piece of psychological horror in which a successful romance writer, Paul Sheldon, has a serious accident while driving during a snowstorm. It is the plot line of the work that the company “Saltantes Teatro” will premiere on April 20 in Avilés and that these days are finalizing details in rehearsals in Gijón at the Laboral theater. “It is a thriller, almost a horror work, that is not usually seen in scenic spaces, we have wanted it for years, but you never dare to make the leap to an international production”, explains Luis Alija, one of the partners of the company, who on this occasion will also act as an actor in the play, playing the role of Paul Sheldon.
Nerea Vazquez as Annie Wilkes and Carlos Davila as Sheriff Buster star in this work that is directed by Andrés Dwyer and that it has Núria Trabanco in front of the stage and Rico Lily of the locker room. “We are being as faithful as possible to that proposal. It is a big play approach, although there are few actors, but it is forceful. The theme of psychological terror, which is rarely touched on in the theater, is a challenge for me, ”says Dwyer. “That terror is generated by two human persons, one in a very dark situation and the other with a very great vulnerability. That contrast is very appropriate to deal with this genre”, emphasizes the director of “Misery”.
The viewer will find in the play that Paul Sheldon wakes up from the accident at the home of Annie Wilkes, a nurse who has rescued him and who offers him shelter while he recovers. Annie confesses to him that she is a great fan of the Misery Chastain saga of novels, created by Paul. But after spending a few days at her house, the writer begins to wonder if he is safe with her. “It’s a theatrical text, but very cinematographic,” says Alija.
The lighting is one of the points in which “Saltantes Teatro” has put more care. “We play with light to those environments and psychological terror, to those moments of feeling just like the character, bedridden in a wheelchair. We play a lot with him now we see and now we don’t”, explains the director.
The company, founded in 2013, has already produced works such as “The Grönholm Method”, “MOBA-War Games”, “Casting” and “The Hunchback”. Now they take a leap with this interesting proposal that has already closed eight more gigs after the premiere at the Palacio Valdés de Avilés. “We have been lucky to have a similar level of work prior to the pandemic after confinement ended. I am sure this work will work. We will be in Gijón, Pravia, Cangas del Narcea, Soto del Barco or Ponferrada”, he comments. Luis Alija. “We are betting on producing very varied things in Asturias. The Principality is increasing support, but we are light years away from communities such as Galicia, the Basque Country or Cantabria. The positive thing is that the resources are used with the residences”, concludes Alija.
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