Nearly eighty actors and actresses from amateur groups in Bages and Moianès are rehearsing this summer at the Conservatori Theatre in Manresa for the participatory production of 'The Flute Player's Tableau', which will be performed on 13 September.
The Conservatori Theatre in Manresa is this summer's stage for the rehearsals of the participatory production of The Flute Player's Tableau, one of the most popular farces in Catalan theatre. The play, written by Jordi Teixidor in 1968 with music by Carles Berga, will be performed on Sunday, 13 September in two shows, at 12 PM and 6 PM, at the same theatre.
The initiative, driven by the Cultural Association El Galliner and the Kursaal of Manresa, is directed by local Sílvia Sanfeliu and involves around eighty actors and actresses from various amateur theatre groups in Bages and Moianès. Among the participants are students from the Aula d'Arts Escèniques at Kursaal, the Espantall Theatre Group, and the Manresa Choir Anderdoc, as well as individuals from other local entities who are participating on an individual basis.
The Flute Player's Tableau is based on the classic tale The Pied Piper of Hamelin to construct a biting satire on the corruption of established powers. The play ironises the contradictions, hypocrisy, and baseness of human nature, a theme that remains relevant.
This production is the second major community theatre project following the success of La Santa Espina by Guimerà, premiered at the Conservatori Theatre in 2024 with the participation of entities and over sixty artists on stage. Now, the Cultural Association El Galliner and the Kursaal are once again betting on a production open to the public.
The play has a long history in the Bages region. It was first performed in December 1973 at the Teatre Nou Esplai in Artés, and in July 1974 outdoors in the square on Padró Street in Manresa, featuring established figures from the local performing arts. Subsequently, in January 2024, over 70 people who participated in that production celebrated its 50th anniversary at the Torre de Casanova in Moià.
In Manresa, The Flute Player's Tableau has been performed on several occasions. In 1971, the Sala Loyola hosted two performances by the C.I.E Theatre Group of the Bages Excursionist Centre. In 1982, Tabola organised three performances for schools with 1,340 spectators. In 1997, the Cultural Association El Galliner scheduled a version directed by Joan Lluís Bozzo and Joan Vives at the Nou Congost Pavilion, with 1,206 spectators and a cast that included actors such as Gemma Brió and Miquel Murga.
Tickets for the participatory production on 13 September are already on sale. They are priced at 12 euros, with discounts for seniors over 65 (10 euros) and for those under 30 and holders of the Carnet Galliner (6 euros). They can be purchased at the Kursaal box office and through the website www.kursaal.cat.
With this project, Manresa establishes itself as a hub for community theatre, where residents of all ages and backgrounds share the stage to revive classics of Catalan theatre from a participatory perspective.
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