‘Blackface’ comes to the Sala Fènix as a comic monologue

The practice of white people colouring their faces black is called blackface. This act, which arose during the era of slavery in the United States, Spain and other countries, is controversial today because it can be considered a caricature of Black people.

The theatre company No es país para negras (No Country for Black Women) wants to talk about this onstage. This is why, after a first show (of the same name as the company) where they examined racism, Black women’s sexuality and identity in the guise of a dramatic comedy, they are now coming back to the Sala Fènix with a new play. It is entitled Blackface y otras verguenzas (Blackface and other Shames), and it once again features Silvia Albert Sopale, a Black actress born in Sant Sebastián in 1976 to a Black family (but in a White country). It’s said to “inevitably be a comic monologue”. Go see it and draw your own conclusions.

The show is part of the programming within the “Dona’m veu/Dona amb veu” (Give me Voice/Woman with Voice) series, an initiative launched in the 2018/19 season to showcase theatre written, directed and starring women. The name joins the concepts of characters who demand a voice from their performers and women with important things to say. Like Silvia Albert Sopale. So far, the shows that have appeared on Carrer de la Riereta in the Raval district include Cándida, Frida Kahlo. Viva la vida, Mirta en espera, Trilogia, Mi vecindario, Cabaret LeCoq, Constelaciones and Dona – Foc, la dona que es crema, among others.

The performances of Blackface y otras verguenzas will be held at the Sala Fènix between 4 and 22 September, Wednesday to Sunday at 9 pm (except on Saturday 21 September). It lasts 75 minutes and is in Spanish.