The Sala Russafa de València will celebrate the ‘Arden gala, 30 years of theater and life’ on April 9, commemorating the three decades of «intense life» of the Arden Producciones company, founded in the same month, but in 1995, by Chema Cardeña and Juan Carlos Garés, later joined by David Campillos. The Valencian group, in addition to creating and performing shows, also set up and manages the creation, training, and performing arts center in Ruzafa.
The gala will feature live music and guests from the cultural world, an event that they will share with the audience until full capacity. In this proposal, signed and directed by Cardeña, the performing arts will coexist with memories of the journey taken and recognition of colleagues in the sector, along with the collaboration of performers who have been part of the company’s shows, such as Rosa López, Darío Torrent, Iria Márquez, Manu Valls, Raquel Ortells, or Jaime Vicedo, among others, as detailed by Sala Russafa in a statement.
David Campillos himself, along with José Montoro and Juanma Pastor (vocalist of Johnny B.Zero), will perform live versions of great hits that have been part of some of their theater productions. The staging will be complemented by images and videos to relive moments of a trajectory in which they have staged 45 shows, received numerous awards –including nearly 40 awards and 60 nominations in theater competitions– and have been involved in the different phases that both the Valencian and national theater scenes have gone through.
This gala is part of the activities program with which the company will celebrate this anniversary in 2025, which started in January with the cycle of dramatized readings ‘Arden, 30 years of theater’ and will continue in November with the presentation of an autobiographical documentary.
Prior to this, on April 12, Arden Producciones will premiere the family show ‘The Pirate Queen,’ an adventure comedy written by Marta Salinas and directed by José Zamit. Both play the co-protagonists of a proposal for viewers aged six and older that merges the world of literature with the search for treasure.
With values such as female empowerment, subversion of traditional roles, or the vindication of historical female figures overshadowed by their male counterparts, the text is inspired by two real historical characters, writer William Shakespeare and buccaneer Grace O’Malley.
In this way, it transports the audience to the 16th century to experience a mutiny aboard a ship that later shipwrecks. The stage will transform into the deserted island where some mysteries are revealed in a new family proposal from Arden, which «captures children and teenagers» but also winks at the accompanying adults.
WORLD THEATRE AND DANCE DAY
Additionally, coinciding with World Theatre Day, on March 27, the performances of ‘Today we do not premiere’ will begin, a comedy written and produced by L’Om Imprebís (Valencia) that will run until April 6, as part of the XIV Cycle of Valencian Companies at Sala Russafa.
Michel López and Santiago Sánchez direct this «hilarious declaration of love» for the performing arts that takes place, precisely, in an acting academy. A teacher and his intern work with a «varied student body» that includes everyone from a soldier to a dancer, a teenage ‘freak,’ a former bullfighter, or a stressed nurse, among others.
Carles Castillo, Carles Montoliu, Víctor Lucas, and Sánchez bring all these characters to life, transforming into 16 characters in a surprising piece that advocates «theater as a tool to improve lives.» Winner of the Audience Award for Best Show in the Theater Fair Castilla y León – Ciudad Rodrigo (2023), this «hilarious piece» takes a break from its national tour to visit Valencia.
On the other hand, to celebrate International Dance Day (April 29), the programming cycle dedicated to Valencian creativity welcomes the «prestigious choreographer» and dancer Eva Bertomeu. Since this year falls on a Tuesday, the weekend before the holiday (April 26 and 27) will feature her autobiographical show ‘Espantoso.’
Bertomeu plays with the double meaning of the adjective that gives the title to the piece, which «can be used to characterize something huge or something wonderful.» The dancer and choreographer revisits crucial life moments in seven scenes, expressing them on stage with «the most genuine movements,» those that were in her own body before discovering and delving into the discipline of dance.
By delving into her bodily and vital memory, she rescues that way of expressing her emotions through dance that, in some way, has marked her subsequent career, with more than 30 shows created and numerous awards in national choreographic competitions, as well as in the Premis de les Arts Escèniques de la Generalitat.
This solo show, «intimate, sincere, and surprising,» is the result of research carried out in a creative residency at Carme Teatre, where she had the external perspective of professional colleagues such as Toni Aparisi, Christine Cloux, and Pau Arán. An opportunity to enjoy the most courageous and authentic Bertomeu.
PARALLEL ACTIVITIES PLANNED FOR APRIL
Writer, creator, and host at the El Imperio bookstore, as well as a cultural manager, Mamen Monsoriu presents her new novel published by Espasa, ‘La segunda,’ on April 14. After the poetry books ‘Escalofríame’ (2018) and ‘Imperatriz’ (2021), she moved on to narrative with ‘Justicia poética’ (2024), a terrain where Monsoriu delves into a text that analyzes «unequal romantic relationships.»
The story revolves around two characters who maintain a relationship for two decades, where she is always the mistress, never the partner. The author questions what leads two people to accept and maintain a love triangle, a theme she will address starting at 7:30 p.m. in the open presentation to the public, where she will also discuss her transition to the novel and how she integrates her poetic voice into her prose creations.
