Silvia Martin She is a theater actress and is part of the Teloncillo company, which has recently passed through Benavente to offer the public her particular show “Alicia”. In this version of the famous work by Lewis Carroll, Silvia Martín plays the main character. Aware of how difficult the theater has had to maintain itself as a first-rate cultural activity, she analyzes her situation from within and expresses her interest in continuing to act, even if it is for a reduced capacity and half the seats are empty. In spite of everything, he does not lose the desire or the hope of being able to perform again soon before a full auditorium. Meanwhile, he continues to enjoy his work and even if it is in a theater with half the capacity, the show must continue.
—The situation in the theater sector was already complicated before the pandemic. Could it be said that now it is even more difficult?
“It was complicated and still is.” With the latest restrictions, the Administrations have realized that culture is safe. There has not been a single case in the whole country in any artistic activity. You cannot be safer than in a theater, a dance show or a concert where you are sitting, wearing a mask, at a distance and without speaking.
– Are there specific measures to control security in this activity?
“All the theaters are and everything is very controlled.” All rooms disinfected, the capacity is controlled, entry and exit staggered, so there really is no problem.
– Have these measures allowed them to work comfortably or have they made it difficult for them?
—It is logical to control the capacity, but hey we have been able to continue acting, more or less.
– Taking into account the restrictions on the capacity of the theaters and theaters, is the feeling different when you act in a full theater than in one that only allows entry to half of the capacity?
—The feeling is not the same for two reasons. On the one hand, because you always lack an audience. On the other hand, because it makes you angry that there are many people who could have gone stay out because the tickets are sold out. We are talking about 40% or 50% of the capacity, depending on the size of the room. In return, what does happen is that if people were already willing and willing before all this, now even more so. You know that you are going to be contributing, enjoying, and that is much more joyful.
—In the month of March, everything stopped and, sooner or later, all the activities started again. How was the return to work of the Teloncillo company?
– The theaters were slow to open. It was summer. Most are normally closed in summer. Almost all the programming is more street-oriented and oriented towards specific festivals. What we did have to do was look at how all this was managed. Rehearsing was not immediate, like any other job. You have your security measures, your protocol, etc., it was possible gradually and always depending on the administrations, who are more or less willing to do things.
– And in this specific case, could it be said that the administrations have done something on their part so that this is not so difficult?
—Most administrations collaborate. Before the pandemic it was like that, and now it is still like that. Practically all theaters are clear that we must continue. With more measures and more rigid, but everyone is willing to continue. With leisure activities there are administrations that have wanted and that have been able to do and others that have not. Castilla y León, for example, is the only community that does not have extracurricular activities and the whole country does.
—During the three months that the hiatus lasted, has the Teloncillo company been working, or is it working now, on the production of new shows?
– Well, look is that just before the pandemic in January a show had been released. Teloncillo has shows for all age groups. We had just premiered a baby show. When the pandemic started, we didn’t have any new production planned, so in that sense it hasn’t hurt us much. Then, like all companies, we have to plan a little how we look forward to next year.
– Given the complexity of the current situation, how do you see the immediate future of theatrical activity?
“I advocate one hundred percent.” There are statistics on the percentage of infections by activity, and in cultural activities there is nothing. So why don’t you go on? We are talking about a theater or an auditorium being very large places, where you can give a concert of classical music or whatever you want. The volumetric space is very large. You have space around, but up you have many meters. Culture in that sense is very safe. For this reason, I advocate that cultural activities can continue to be done, and I think that people advocate the same. We continue to maintain disinfection and hygiene measures, use of a mask and safety distance, and I believe that we will be able to continue acting.
“So, do you think the public’s response is going to continue to be good?”
—If the public didn’t want to go, it would be different, but people want to do more things, not the four we have been able to do so far. People want to go on living. We will have to continue to do so in the same way. I assume that the restrictions and the capacity will be maintained for at least the entire season until June. In summer we will have to see how things evolve, but I think they will continue to do so. At the beginning of everything, cultural activities together with the hotel industry were the first thing to close. We, as an activity, close before the state of alarm. The previous weeks we no longer did the scheduled activities for safety.
—Although the current situation is not very hopeful, although there is already some light at the end of the tunnel, the desire, the hope and the illusion to continue acting are never lost, right?
-So is. This is like everything. You will see that there are news from newspapers or journalists who report better or worse, but you like your work. I really like my job and I don’t lose the desire to do it. Nobody likes to wear a mask all day, but we have to, because we are doing it. The important thing is to enjoy what you can. I love my job and every time they let me do it, I enjoy it.
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