The latest creation by Argentine playwright and director Pablo Messiez, titled La forma humana, is set to premiere at Nave 10 Matadero in Madrid. The production will run from 20 November to 20 December, featuring a cast led by Omar Ayuso, alongside Cris Blanco, Rebeca Hernando, and José Juan Rodríguez.
Inspired by Agustín Gómez Arcos's novel El cordero carnívoro and the works of artist Francis Bacon, Messiez's play challenges inherited models and encourages audiences to reconsider their ways of living and relating to one another. The narrative revolves around a group of characters grappling with love, loss, and contradictions, posing the question of how to exist together and whether our relationships align with our desires or societal norms.
Messiez aims to centre the theatrical experience by exploring the interplay between scenic elements—space, bodies, text, and audience presence. The production, a collaboration between Buxman Producciones, Temporada Alta, and Teatro Calderón de Valladolid, seeks to create a dynamic environment where the audience's interpretation is integral to the performance.
The play draws heavily from Gómez Arcos's exploration of sibling relationships that defy social conventions, pushing the boundaries of what is acceptable. This thematic exploration is complemented by Bacon's artistic philosophy, which emphasises the emotional impact of a work over its logical meaning. Messiez's approach seeks to transform traditional representations by granting expressive power to the space, movement, light, sound, and audience interaction.
In La forma humana, Messiez presents an open scene that allows for fluid relationships and spatial arrangements, fostering new interpretations and meanings. The director envisions a theatre that invites audience engagement rather than delivering a fixed narrative.
The artistic team includes set and costume designer Cecilia Molano, lighting designer Carlos Marquerie, choreographer Elena Córdoba, and sound designer Oscar G. Villegas, with Miguel Valentín serving as assistant director. This diverse collaboration aims to create a rich theatrical experience that resonates with contemporary audiences.
