Els Joglars present an adaptation of the Cervantes entremés “El coloquio de los perros”

Following their success with El retablo de las maravillas (The Tableau of Wonders) in 2004 and En un lugar de Manhattan (Somewhere in Manhattan) in 2006, Els Joglars return to the world of Miguel de Cervantes with an adaptation of El coloquio de los perros (The Dialogue of the Dogs), one of the authors better-known novels.

In the novel, the canine protagonists, Scipio and Berganza (Scipio’s sister in this case) mysteriously acquire the power of speech overnight. The resulting conversation between the two deals with their lives and the people who have accompanied them over the years. The dogs, now in their latter years, discuss the misery and ridiculousness of the so-called “bipeds” in an attempt to expose the mean-spirited nature of mankind before the night ends and they lose their ability to speak.

Directed by Ramon Fontserè and staged by Albert Boadella in conjunction with Martina Cabanas and Fontserè himself, this adaptation of The Dialogue of the Dogs reclaims the cynical and sarcastic tone of the original 17th century text and transfers it to the social reality of the 21st century.

Co-produced by Els Joglars and the Compañía Nacional de Teatro Clásico, the play stars Fontserè (Scipio), Pilar Sáenz (Berganza), Dolors Tuneu and Xavi Sais (characters and animals who appear during the dogs’ travels) and Xevi Vilà (Manolo). The play can be seen in the Teatre Poliorama from the 16th of April to the 4th of May.