Friday, September 08, 2006

Stagefright

I know, really, I write too many pieces about the crazy antics of the Spanish right! I'm trying to stop but the problem is the stories keep on coming, I don't know what to do. The actor Pepe Rubianes yesterday found that he could no longer present the work "Lorca eran todos" about Federico García Lorca, in the Teatro Español in Madrid. The theatre belongs to the municipality, ultimately controlled by the mayor Albert Ruiz Gallardón, who is becoming something of a regular on this blog.



The story begins in January this year when Rubianes appeared on Catalan TV and made some, frankly, not very polite remarks about the Spanish and the Extremadurans in particular. He sort of apologised afterwards and said that he was talking about the backward reactionary side of Spanish society. Once news emerged that he was going to be presenting the show in Madrid, in a municipal theatre, the right wing blogs started suggesting he shouldn't be allowed to make use of public theatres and there were rumours of people organising demonstrations. So yesterday the show was cancelled, initially the blame was placed on Gallardón, then later it was said that Rubianes himself had taken the decision. Finally, today, Rubianes has stated that it was the mayor who had given in to right-wing pressure and withdrawn the show. Ironic, of course, that it was a work about Lorca, himself executed by the political ancestors of the imbeciles who forced the cancellation.

This is the third time in recent years that there have been right-wing protests over theatrical works in Madrid. The theatre where Italian comedy actor Leo Bassi presented his last work was the object of a failed firebombing and had far right demonstrations outside the theatre. A couple of years ago a play called "Me Cago en Dios" (I shit on God) - ironically written by the brother in law of right-wing regional president Esperanza Aguirre - was also attacked, the playwright and lead actor were beaten up in the theatre. I went the following night, unaware of what had happened, and thought the security was a little bit tight for a minor play in a small theatre. Later I found out why.

Watch out you Catalan bloggers, if it carries on like this I'm coming to Barcelona to join you. Ok, thats it, have a good weekend and next week I'll try and write about something different.

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