- 14th EDITION 2022 / 2023
- 13th EDITION 2021 / 2022
- 12th EDITION 2020 / 2021
- 11th EDITION 2019 / 2020
- 10th EDITION 2018 / 2019
- 9th EDITION 2017 / 2018
- 8th EDITION 2016 / 2017
- 7th EDITION 2015 / 2016
- 6th EDITION 2014 / 2015
- 5th EDITION 2013 / 2014
- 4th EDITION 2012 / 2013
- 3rd EDITION 2011 / 2012
- 2nd EDITION 2010 / 2011
- 1st EDITION 2009 / 2010
Llàtzer Garcia IN RESiDENCE at the School L’Alzina
FIRST CONTACT BETWEEN THE STUDENTS AND THE THEATRE
Before the arrival of Llàtzer Garcia in the classroom, the teachers proposed reading his work, The pulse, aloud, which had opened a few years previously at Sala Flyhard. This reading was combined with the viewing of clips from the cinematographic adaptation of the work, directed by Garcia himself.
FIRST CONTACT WITH THE ARTIST
Llàtzer Garcia arrives in the classroom and presents himself He talks about himself, explains what he does and speaks about some of the works that he has written or directed. He also asks the student questions: what their names are, what interests they have in theatre, why they have chosen this subject, etc. Lastly, he offers to answer any questions about the reading of The pulse.
WRITING EXERCISES
Llàtzer is a playwright, director and he also studied acting, but most of all, he is a person that enjoys writing. It is with this in mind that for the second session he proposed writing exercises to the students. Some were quick, to be written and read in the classroom, but others required more thought and were generally done at home and read the next day in class. This also allowed Llàtzer to get to know the students. And they gradually gained confidence and became more at ease.
VISIT TO SALA BECKETT
The students and the teachers visited Sala Beckett. In addition to showing the different areas, he gave a detailed explanation of the different stages of the creation process of a show, as well as the role of the professionals that participate in it. The students thus became aware of everything involved in the creation of a show.
ACTING EXERCISES
During the month of December, Llàtzer had to miss a session and the actress Andrea Portella came in his stead and proposed that the students perform some relaxation and breathing exercises. This was a manner of introducing them into the world of acting. From that moment on, Llàtzer gradually proposed more and more acting exercises during each session, always combined with writing exercises.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE PIECE
After the Christmas holidays, Llàtzer announces that the event that would take place at the end of the course at the Sala Beckett would be based on a text that he would write based on the desires of the students (expressed multiple times) for freedom, adventure and discovering the world. Although he did not yet know the title, there would be an island and there be references to the classic Treasure Island, by Robert L. Stevenson. From that moment, Llàtzer would continue proposing writing exercises but intensify the acting and performance exercises.
BEGINNING THE REHEARSALS
In March, Llàtzer begins taking scenes to class. The procedure is the following: first he takes them to the classroom to read them aloud with the students. He works with them and at the end of the session he takes them home to tweak them. Later, he returns them to the students so they can now study them.
THE ACTRESS MARIA CASELLES JOINS THE CLASS
After the Easter holidays, the work (and the nerves) intensify. There are not many sessions left and there is a lot of work to do. Llàtzer decides to attend the sessions on Wednesday (during the third hour) as they need all the time available to rehearse. The actress Maria Casellas joins the creation process and mostly works on the performance aspect with the students. So, for a good part of each session, the students are divided into two groups, so that one works with Llàtzer and the other works with Maria Casellas. At the end of the session they form a group and share the work they have done.
FINAL PERFORMANCE
On 30 May, we enter the Sala de Dalt at Sala Beckett, where the performance will take place the next day. We set up the stage and do the lights during the morning and in the afternoon we rehearse. Finally, on 1 June the final performance takes place with two different sessions: one at midday, attended by the classmates of the students participating in the project, and another at 6 o’clock in the evening, mainly for family members and the general education community. At the end of the afternoon performance, there is a chat with the students involved in the project and Llàtzer Garcia. The students reflect on the creation process, explaining what they have taken away from the project and defend the need for more projects of a similar nature in the education system.
ACTIONS LINKED TO THE RESIDENCE
A variety of activities were organised during the project involving different theatres, institutions and people:
- 23 November 2020: guided tour of the Sala Beckett to learn about the various spaces and elements involved in the creation process of a show.
- 30 November 2020: the actress Andrea Portella proposes a series of acting and performance exercises for the student.
- 22 February 2021: the actress Maria Casellas proposes a series of acting and performance exercises for the student.
- 24 February 2021: visit to the Sala Tallers at the National Theatre of Catalonia, to see the play The Gunpowder Fountain, written and directed by Llàtzer Garcia.
- 10 March 2021: A conversation with Lali Ayguadé at the Fort Pienc Civic Centre about Hidden, the show during the Quinzena Metropolitana de la Dansa.
- On 12 April, the actress Maria Casellas joins the Monday sessions to assist.