Barcelona 24h, Teatre Gaudí Barcelona Review
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Barcelona 24h tells the story of four young people living in the bustling city of Barcelona. It first premiered in 2020 and has since been adapted to Madrid (Madrid 24h) and Argentina (Open 24h). After a few changes and with a new image, the show has returned to Teatre Gaudí, directed by Marc Flynn with musical direction by Dídac Flores.
Teatre Gaudí has a central stage flanked by seats on all sides, and the production really exploited this unique design by having the characters seamlessly move around the stage so that everyone could have a great view. The theatre doesn’t have many rows, so every seat has excellent visibility!
Let’s take a look at our four main characters. Carla (Anna Piqué) loves photographing people on the streets of Barcelona and is trying to get over a breakup. Àlex (Àlex Sanz) wants to find love and is a bit obsessed with Hugh Grant. Mario (Jaume Casals) is Júlia’s brother, and he’s determined to be successful at his job, even though that has had personal consequences. And finally, Júlia (Mireia Òrrit) is a rich girl trying to be independent for the first time in her life. These four stories intertwine with Barcelona as their backdrop. And let’s not forget the 24h shop cashier (Dídac Flores), who actually has no lines because he’s the pianist accompanying our singers live.
All four actors did a fantastic job. They worked together like a well-oiled machine, and their voices blended beautifully. The choreography by Julia Pérez were well-executed and helped the audience get to know each character better. I found Mario and Júlia’s story a bit more interesting than Àlex and Carla’s; Àlex felt a bit flat as he had less conflict than the others, while Mario and Júlia had a more explosive dynamic. I would have also loved it if the show had explored Mario and Carla’s sibling relationship a tiny bit more.
The songs were beautiful and provided insight into each character’s history and motivations. Even though the only accompaniment was a piano, they still felt complete. There was a good distribution of songs among the characters so that nobody had a disproportionately larger role. My personal favourite was the opening number, Tard ("Late"), and Júlia’s hilarious song about trying to find a flat in the city.
As a backdrop, projected images of Barcelona occasionally appeared on the walls behind the audience; they did a great job of setting the scene without being overbearing and were not overused.
I felt so identified with the characters whenever they mentioned things about Barcelona: the endless red traffic lights that inevitably make you late, the touristy spots, the places where there are always traffic jams... I could go on forever! There were many little details added to make the audience feel immersed in the story and the city.
In short, this small format musical offers an emotional, fun, and completely relatable experience as the four main characters try to navigate life in Barcelona.
Barcelona 24h will be playing at Teatre Gaudí until February 23rd. The album, recorded live in 2021, is available on Spotify as well.
★★★★
