The Diputación de Alicante has announced that the play Coses que passen by David Sánchez Pacheco has won the XXVII Premi de Teatre Breu in Valencià “Evarist Garcia.” The announcement was made by the deputy for Culture, Juan de Dios Navarro, alongside Ana Bonmatí, the territorial delegate of the Institut Valencià de Cultura in Alicante, and the award-winning playwright.
Navarro highlighted the significance of this award, established in 2000 and currently endowed with €5,000. The primary aim of the prize is to promote and enhance theatre in the Valencian language, thereby invigorating and valuing the theatrical scene and encouraging the creation of new texts.
This year’s jury, chaired by Navarro, included Bonmatí and notable figures from the performing arts and literature, such as Isabel Marcillas, a Doctor of Catalan Philology and professor at the University of Alicante, literary critic Carlos Ferrer, and winemaker and writer Rafael Poveda. The competition received twelve submissions this year, a decrease from the 18 entries in 2025 and ten in 2024.
As confirmed by Bonmatí, the Elche-based company La Sobreactuà will stage the play at the Teatro Arniches in Alicante on 2 December, with free entry until the venue is full. Directed by Elena Candela and featuring prominent support from Tomás Mestre, the cast includes actors Jaume Lafuente, Alex Max, and Lola Martínez.
David Sánchez Pacheco, originally from Orihuela, holds a degree in Catalan Philology and completed a master’s in Secondary Education and Language Teaching at the University of Alicante, as well as a Dramaturgy training programme at Sala Beckett. He currently balances teaching at a secondary school in Alicante with creative and research activities. His literary accolades include the XLVII Premi Ciutat d’Alcoi de Teatre “Pep Cortés” for his work La Pedregada (2021), published by Editorial Bromera, and two previous awards for the Premi de Teatre Breu in Valencià “Evarist García” in 2022 and 2024. Last week, he also won the Premio de Teatro Infantil y Juvenil Escalante 2026 from the Diputación de Valencia for Blanca la balena.
“Coses que passen is a comedy that makes us laugh while inviting us to reflect on solitude, love, dignity, and the need to feel loved. Because sometimes, life surprises us when we least expect it and reminds us that, in the most unexpected circumstances, there is always room for hope,” explained the playwright.
Synopsis: Ernesto, a man who seems to have been left out of those things that make life worthwhile, receives an unexpected visit that transforms an ordinary night into a unique experience. Amidst family reproaches, personal relationships, prejudices, and situations that are as absurd as they are recognisable, the characters reveal their weaknesses, fears, and most human needs.
