"Ni monjas ni casadas" Unearths Bold Female Characters from Spain's Golden Age

Women with a lot to say refuse to be silenced by a society that tries to keep them quiet. Teatro El Sauzal and the Tamaska company are debuting "Ni monjas ni casadas" (Neither nuns nor married women) next Friday. This play explores female characters from the works of Tirso de Molina (1579-1648), describing them as "full of initiative, courage, and independence." After its opening night, "Ni monjas ni casadas" will also be performed this Saturday and on Friday, November 28th, all starting at 8:00 PM. Tickets are available on the theatre's website: teatroelsauzal.com.

This journey into Spain's Golden Age marks the end of a trilogy by Teatro Tamaska, which began in 2015 with "Y el verbo se hizo mujer" (And the word became woman) and "Entre burlas y veras" (Between jests and truths). Carmen Hernández is once again responsible for the script. "Ni monjas ni casadas builds on the work we've been doing," she explained to DIARIO DE AVISOS. "We focus on Baroque theatre to showcase female characters who act and speak in ways completely unexpected for their time."

Hernández mentioned that researching for this project was a challenging process. "I had to search for these kinds of characters in plays from that era, and I was even interested in how female Spanish playwrights portrayed them."

However, her research consistently led her back to one author: Tirso de Molina. "The sheer number of his plays featuring women as main characters, and the depth they offer on many levels, made me focus on him," stated the playwright and actress. "Shakespeare's plays are highly regarded, and rightly so, but Spain has its own 'Shakespeares' like Lope de Vega, Calderón de la Barca, and Tirso himself..." she added.

"A text survives and becomes a classic because it deals with universal human experiences, which are timeless," Hernández pointed out. "It's fascinating that in a society like the Baroque period, where women were expected to stay at home," she argued, "we find such a diverse range of remarkable female characters in his theatre who overcome difficult circumstances."

Initially, the project considered 50 of Tirso's plays. This number was narrowed down to 15 during the selection process, and now the focus is on 8. "However, the performance, which blends verse and prose, includes lines from other plays," clarified the person in charge of condensing this vast material and weaving together fragments to create a unified meaning.

"It has been, and still is, a challenge, not just for the script but for the overall production. The truth is, starting with these female characters, the play practically wrote itself. It was like a puzzle; once I had all the pieces and placed the first one, the rest fell into place," she said.

"The truly difficult part was making the selections, deciding what would be included and what would be left out of 'Ni monjas ni casadas'," she commented. "Tirso de Molina's work features a huge number of plays with women at the center," Carmen Hernández noted, "rich texts that present characters who are incredibly modern and free-spirited. They are also very funny. I haven't laughed so much while reading in a long time because humor is a significant element. It's a fresh, comedic style, evident in the situations and the use of language."

"Ni monjas ni casadas" is a result of one of Teatro El Sauzal's artistic residencies. This residency is a collaboration between Teatro Tamaska, MCB Gestión Cultural, and the City Council. The aim of these residencies is to "create stable working groups that can address the cultural needs of the community, produce stage works, and present the results of each process over extended periods."

The play is directed by Josefa Suárez, with music by Carlos Oramas, set design by Eduardo Moreno, and the involvement of Vicente Fuentes. Fuentes is a renowned expert in voice, language, and stage verse, who received a Talía Award last year from the Spanish Academy of Performing Arts for his career achievements. They are joined by the regular production team from MCB Gestión Cultural, including producer Carlos Belda.

On stage, Carmen Hernández and Francisco Vera will perform. "We will play two characters who, throughout the performance, transform into many others," explained the actress and playwright.