Out of the Wings

Hamelin (c.2005), Juan Mayorga Ruano

Productions in Spanish

Hamelin (Andrés Lima)

Details

Director: Andrés Lima
Production company: Animalario
Dates: 12 May 2005
Venue: Teatro de La Abadía
Location: Madrid, Spain

Critical response

This production by the Animalario theatre company was awarded the 2005 National Theatre Prize in Spain. It was hugely popular and on the 15-09-2005 it began a national and international tour with over 100 performances.

In his review Pascual Serrano pointed out the elements Hamelin that are reminiscent of the film noir genre. He noted ‘Hamelin is theatre noir, if such a thing exists: dirty streets, shadowy lighting, rain, sirens, cries, knives and fear in the hearts of everyone’ (Serrano 2005). Marcos Ordóñez called Hamelin Mayorga’s ‘long-expected masterpiece’. He criticised however the decision to use an actor rather than a child to perform the role of Josemari, writing, ‘I believe Hamelin would benefit from a child actor, it would make the play more affecting and challenging’ (Ordóñez 2005).

Ordóñez, Marcos. 2005. Review of Hamelin at the Teatro de la Abadía, Madrid, ‘La ciudad en la que no reina un niño’, El País, 2 July (in Spanish)
Serrano, Pascual. 2005. Review of Hamelin at the Teatro de la Abadía, Madrid, ‘Lágrimas por la cloaca’, El confidencial, 4 June (in Spanish)

Further information

In this production two live rats were placed in a cage in the centre of the stage. The actors all sat in seats placed around the stage, entering the performance area when required. Some actors doubled up and performed two characters. Music by Michael Jackson (Wanna be Starting Something) was used.

More detailed information about this performance (reviews, technical specifics, press information) is available by clicking on the Hamelin section of the Animalario website.

Hamelin (Andrés Lima)

Details: Director: Andrés Lima
Production company: Animalario
Dates: March 2006
Venue: Teatro Romea
Location: Barcelona, Spain

Hamelin (Andrés Lima)

Details: Director: Andrés Lima
Production company: Animalario
Dates: June 2006
Venue: Teatro Jovellanos
Location: Gijón, Spain

Hamelin (Andrés Lima)

Details: Director: Andrés Lima
Production company: Animalario
Dates: September 2006
Venue: Teatro Broadway
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Further information: The cast of this production changed during its run. The original Animalario cast that had performed in Spain were the initial actors. Later, Argentinean actors took over the roles.

Hamelin (Jesús Codina)

Details

Director: Jesús Codina
Dates: 2007
Venue: Teatro San Ginés
Location: Santiago de Chile, Chile

Critical response

This production of Hamelin was well received. Reviewers noted the intensity of the play and the demands that it placed on actors and audience members alike, because of both its sparse theatricality and its subject matter (Santi 2007; Herrera Labra 2007). In her review Marietta Santi also praised the effective use of spotlighting in creating atmosphere, and commended the addition of cello music (Santi 2007). Another critic noted that the ambiguous ending was unsettling because it suggested the prevalence of guilt in the city in the play (Herrera Labra 2007).

Herrera Labra, Pedro. 2007. Review of Hamelin at the Teatro San Ginés de Bellavista, Santiago de Chile, ‘Turbia pero necesaria’, El Mercurio, 1 June (in Spanish)
Santi, Marietta. 2007. Review of Hamelin at the Teatro San Ginés de Bellavista, Santiago de Chile, La Hora, 5 July (in Spanish)

Further information

Cello music was used in this production.

Hamelin (Fernando Rodríguez Araya)

Details: Director: Fernando Rodríguez Araya
Dates: 29 September 2007
Venue: Teatro Variedades
Location: San José, Costa Rica

Hamelin (Emmanuel Morales)

Details: Director: Emmanuel Morales
Dates: 10 February 2008
Venue: Círculo Teatral Alberto Estrella
Location: Mexico City, Mexico

Hamelin (Nacho Cabrera)

Details

Director: Nacho Cabrera
Production company: Teatro La República
Dates: October 2009
Venue: Teatro Cuyas
Location: Las Palmas, Spain

Further information

There is a video of Juan Mayorga talking in Spanish about this production.

The production included cello music.

Productions in English

Hamlyn (Brett Adam)

Details: Director: Brett Adam
Based on translation: Hamlyn by David Johnston
Dates: 14 September 2007
Venue: The Old Council Chambers
Location: Melbourne, Australia