La plaza del Diamante / La plaça del Diamant

La plaça del Diamant, by Mercè Rodoreda, is not only one of the best-known Catalan novels, it is also one of the classics of 20th-century European literature, a universal creation. The novel (translated into English as In Diamond Square) describes the experiences of Natàlia, a working-class woman in Barcelona’s Gràcia neighbourhood, during the Second Republic, the Spanish Civil War and the misery of Franco’s dictatorship.

This dramatised reading adapted by Carlota Subirós and Ferran Dordal, directed by Carlota Subirós and premiered at Grec 2023 in co-production with TNC, brings the main character to life through multiple Catalan and Mexican actresses of different backgrounds and ages. This is on-stage, feminine hall of mirrors reveals nuances and shows us contrasts in Natàlia’s life but also alludes to our own lives and those of our mothers and grandmothers.

A contemporary take and live music performed by the composer Clara Aguilar are among the other keys to this show which presents the universal experience of a woman, from despair and near madness to the recognition of her own identity and acceptance of the present.

Photo: Alice Brazzit