Written by Laura for Theatre & Tonic

Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review

Domingos de vermut y potaje (Sundays of vermouth and potaje) is a unique show combining food, music and comedy, by the hand of the flamenco singer-songwriter Maui de Utrera. She will cook a potaje, a stew made out of beans, veggies and chorizo, a very traditional Spanish dish, as she reflects on different topics with the help of her music. Now on its eighth season, the show seems to be as popular as ever, as tickets were completely sold out.

Kiko Martín, Juan Carlos Gil and Paco Soto joined Maui onstage. Maui absolutely commanded the stage with presence, humour, spontaneity and talent. It was almost impossible to look away from her! She was dressed in a cacophonous flamenco dress made out of many different fabrics inspired by flamenco fashion. Her chemistry with the rest of the artists was incredible, and they had some very funny bits together as well. She is an amazing songwriter and singer, and she even plays the cello.

The show is incredibly fun, and it had all of us clapping and singing, and there was even some audience interaction. I could spot some fans who knew the songs by heart and sang along; this is usually not desired in a show, but in this case, it just added more fun and intimacy to the show.

There is always a guest onstage, and this week it was Guillem Roma. I must admit I don’t know who he is, but he and Maui had some nice and funny moments together. This section of the show did drag a little for me, however, as she came up with crazier and crazier questions and he seemed a bit lost on how to answer them and go along with the jokes.

The Teatro Flamenco is stunning. Its little interior patio is decorated with Spanish guitars hanging from the ceiling, and its interior balcony is full of plants and flowers. Inside, the theatre has a gorgeous stage with lush red curtains and a string of LED lights around it. The chairs are removable, as I assume they are not needed for other Flamenco shows and workshops; however, that means they are plastic and not quite as comfy as regular theatre seats. Even the bar area is beautiful, with decorative Spanish plates and wooden fans on the walls.

Just before the show begins, you can drink a bit of vermouth, and after the show you can have a taste of the famous potaje gitano, which is just as yummy as it sounds. This all comes included with the ticket.

This is a show for pretty much anyone. Speaking Spanish certainly helps, but even if you don’t, the music, humour, and Maui’s stage presence make it an enjoyable experience regardless.

If you’re coming from abroad, you may want to watch a Flamenco show to have a taste of Spanish culture. If you want to do that, please skip the tourist scams and go for an authentic experience at Teatro Flamenco! Aside from Domingos de vermut y potaje, they also offer other kinds of shows such as Inspiración, which are more music-heavy.

You can catch the show one Sunday a month at Teatro Flamenco in Barcelona, but make sure you book the tickets well in advance!

★★★★

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