The Universidad Europea del Atlántico (European University of the Atlantic, UNEATLANTICO) has once again highlighted the talent and creativity of its student community with the premiere of Purgatory, the new production of the institution’s Theatre Hall.
The work, conceived and developed by the members of the theater group themselves, combines black humor, social satire and a prominent audiovisual component, giving rise to a performance proposal as entertaining as it is reflective.
The performance takes the viewer to an unusual, judged afterlife, where a trainee on their first day and an official as strict as unbearable must decide which souls deserve to go to heaven and which to hell. However, everything gets out of hand when they are ordered to convict only a small group of people, triggering a succession of increasingly absurd, surreal and bizarre situations.
The work arises from a question deeply connected to society today: if we have all committed some “sin,” does that mean we are all bad people? Although comedy pervades the entire performance, Purgatory also invites the audience to reflect on morality, prejudices and contradictions of contemporary society.
One of the highlights of the production has been its powerful audiovisual section. Through different pieces projected during the performance, viewers discover how the characters died before reaching purgatory. These videos, integrated in an organic way into the narrative, bring dynamism to the staging and allow you to explore different comic and visual resources.
The direction of the work was in charge of Lorena Güemes, while the team of heads of script was formed by Lorena Güemes, Héctor D. Somonte, Jordy Rojals, Daniel Campuzano and Racso Rio. The text was developed collectively by the students of the UNEATLANTICO Theater Classroom, reinforcing the collaborative and creative character of the project.
Dani Lavin, Aike Sisniega, Paula Rasillo, Bryan Castro, Jordy Rojals, Héctor D. Somonte, Racso Río, Candela Busto, Sara López, Essei Cabrera, Ivana Navas, Sebastián Soto, Daniel Campuzano, Giulianna Castro, Naiara Fernández, Elena Fernández, Alma Pérez Hidalgo and Sebastián Ruíz.
The production was coordinated by Lorena Güemes, Paula Rasillo and Elena Fernández, who also participated in the costume and makeup design. The audiovisual direction was developed by Héctor D. Somonte and Jordy Rojals, while the audiovisual production was in charge of Paula Rasillo and Elena Fernández. The hand show and illustrations were made by Sara López.
Beyond the artistic success of the performance, Purgatory had an especially emotional significance for many of its members. For numerous students who have been part of the Theatre Classroom since the beginning of their university career, this function marked the closure of a deeply important stage within the university.
The students wanted to especially thank the constant support of Lorena Güemes, director of the theater club, for always boosting the talent, creativity and commitment of the group. With this play, the UNEATLANTICO Theatre Hall puts the finishing touch on a stage marked by the passion of the spectacle, camaraderie and love for the performing arts.