Prelude Edition of the Shakespeare Festival Barcelona

 

The Shakespeare Festival Barcelona aspires to become an international theatre festival that promotes Catalan culture while fostering dialogue and collaboration among different European theatrical programs. It aims to share the universal values of William Shakespeare’s work from a contemporary perspective. This broad approach not only encompasses performing arts but also extends to other artistic disciplines such as music, dance, painting, poetry, and various forms of creative expression, creating a unique event inspired by the legacy of the great playwright. The festival aims to contribute to artistic exchange and the co-creation of new projects. 

It’s part of the European Shakespeare Festivals Network (ESFN). 

La Perla 29 is a centre of creation and theatre management from which we want to work freely and willingly. Born in Barcelona in 2002 as a stage creation platform, it has become one of the reference centres of the Catalan theatre scene with an increasing international projection.  Thanks to the effort and continuity, La Perla 29, directed by Oriol Broggi, has built a strongteam linked to the Teatre La Biblioteca, a unique and beloved theatre space. This year, La Biblioteca will host the Prelude Edition of the Shakespeare Festival Barcelona. You are all very welcome! 

From March 16th to the 18th, we celebrate the Prelude Edition 2025 of the Shakespeare Festival Barcelona, an event designed to lay the foundation for the festival community, explore formats, and build connections among artists, programmers, and audiences. This edition marks the starting point for the Shakespeare Festival Barcelona, scheduled for the 2026-2027 season. 

Over these three days, we will welcome international programmers, many of whom are directors of Shakespeare Festivals or theatre venues across Europe and abroad. They will meet with Catalan artists and cultural managers during the scheduled performances, the strategic working sessions and discussions focused on building the festival in a collaborative way. 

The program also includes formal and informal networking spaces to foster cooperation and dialogue between local creators and international programmers

 

PROGRAMME

Day 1: Sunday, March 16

18:00 – A Macbeth Song
Teatre La Biblioteca
Directed and adapted by Oriol Broggi, featuring The Tiger Lillies.
A contemporary interpretation of Macbeth, blending Oriol Broggi’s theatrical direction with the unique live music of The Tiger Lillies.

20:30 – Discussion: Contemporary Visions of Shakespeare
Teatre La Biblioteca
[Register here] With Irina Brook (Dream Theatre) and Oriol Broggi (La Perla 29).
Irina Brook and Oriol Broggi will share their experiences directing Shakespeare, reflecting on productions that have shaped them. How do they approach the playwright? What inspires them? What are they looking for? What role does Peter Brook play in their vision? A conversation between two renowned theatre directors who have found a poetic and vibrant world in Shakespeare’s work.

21:30 – Opening Reception

Day 2: Monday, March 17

10:30 – Internal Meeting of the ESFN
Sala Noble, Institut Ramon Llull
Closed session for members of the European Shakespeare Festivals Network (ESFN).

16:30 – Session: Imagining the New Barcelona Shakespeare Festival
Teatre La Biblioteca
Closed session with national and international programmers and cultural agents.
A collaborative workshop to discuss ideas for the future Barcelona Shakespeare Festival. Cultural representatives from across the country, along with Shakespeare festival programmers from all over Europe, will debate programming interests and explore needs and opportunities to shape the festival into a significant cultural project for the city.

19:00 – Presentation of the European Shakespeare Festivals Network in Barcelona
Teatre La Biblioteca
With Joanna Sniezko (PL), Philip Parr (UK), and Vlad Dragulescu (RO).
Pre-event discussion before Hamlet Double Bill.
What is the European Shakespeare Festivals Network (ESFN)? How is Shakespeare programmed in different European countries? How do they interpret his work? What new theatrical languages are emerging? Join us for a conversation with ESFN programmers to explore different cultural contexts, connect them with Catalonia, and learn about this international network.

20:15 – Hamlet Double Bill
Teatre La Biblioteca
Winner of the Shakesphere 2024 award.
La Ribalta Teatro (IT) and the English Theater Company (UK) present a Hamlet adaptation featuring three actors who give voice to the gravediggers and comedians confronting this grand tragedy.

Day 3: Tuesday, March 18

11:00 – Roundtable: Shakespeare, Tyranny, and Truth
Sala del Mirador, CCCB
With Jordi Coca, Isabel Guerrero, and Andreu Jaume.
Organized in collaboration with #AsSocPerla, the Institut d’Humanitats, and CCCB.
Lies, fake news, corruption, authoritarianism, popular frustrations—these aren’t just modern concerns but central themes in Shakespeare’s works. His plays offer striking portrayals of tyrants and tyranny. How does he describe them? How does he challenge them? What context were they written for, and what can they tell us today? A discussion about Shakespeare’s tyrants—petty yet dangerous figures who exist both inside and outside the theatre’s fictional walls.

17:30 – Shakespeare, Violence, and War: A Conversation Over Coffee
With Iryna Chuzhynova (Ukrainian Shakespeare Festival) and Andrea Jiménez (Casting Lear). Moderated by Cristina Genebat.
When we met Iryna in Craiova (Romania), we were struck by her insight into the contradictions faced by a team launching a Shakespeare festival in Ukraine amidst war: “At the end of the day, art and theatre cannot save lives.” Her questions are also our questions. Theatre helps us process and transport experiences, but Shakespeare’s world is often deeply warlike and male-dominated. What kind of Shakespeare does an audience overwhelmed by immediate violence need? How can it help us imagine alternatives? What identities and silences do we bring to the stage? What relationship do we want with Shakespeare?

20:00 – A Macbeth Song
Teatre La Biblioteca
Directed and adapted by Oriol Broggi, featuring The Tiger Lillies.
A contemporary interpretation of Macbeth, blending Oriol Broggi’s theatrical direction with the unique live music of The Tiger Lillies.