Enrique Arriaga highlights "the new dimension of this third MEI edition" that kicks off on 2 September in El Sauzal

 

 

The third edition of the MEI (Iberoamerican Theatre Festival), which runs from 2 September to 6 October, has been organised by the Island Council through the Auditorio de Tenerife. Enrique Arriaga, councillor of culture, stressed that "this festival stands out for exhibiting 40 performances of 14 shows in a dozen municipalities".

According to Arriaga, "this festival clearly shows our commitment to the municipalities that we announced as part of the Cultural Strategic Plan. It distributes this high-quality stage programme throughout the island with Iberoamerican proposals that share the bill with our companies".

Alejandro Krawietz, director of culture, agrees with Arriaga on how important it is for the municipalities to receive contemporary theatre performances. Considering the current set spaces of the island, they are not easy to programme. He added that "through the performing arts, MEI is like a door that brings other cultures closer to society". 

Of the eleven companies participating in this edition, three are from Chile (Niño Proletario, Silencio Blanco and Colectivo Cuerpo Sur), two from Uruguay (El Galpón and Marea Productora) and one each from Colombia (4 Paredes), Argentina (Diego Casado), Nicaragua (Teatro Justo Rufino Garay), Portugal (Hotel Europa Teatro); three are from the Canary Islands (Delirium, Ángulo Producciones and Unahoramenos). 

The festival venues will be the Paraninfo de la Universidad de La Laguna and those of the municipalities of Adeje, Arona, Candelaria, El Rosario, Guía de Isora, Los Realejos, Puerto de la Cruz, Tacoronte, Tegueste, Vilaflor and El Sauzal. In the two previous editions El Sauzal hosted all shows; on this occasion it will be the setting for a dozen performances.

The programme begins on 2 September at the Teatro El Sauzal. The Uruguayan company El Galpón will offer the play "Bakunin sauna, una obra anarquista" (Bakunin sauna, an anarchist play), a show that will also be performed in Guía de Isora (5th) and in the Paraninfo (8th). The Nicaraguan company Rufino Garay will take its play "Francisca" to El Sauzal (8th), Adeje (9th), Puerto de la Cruz (11th) and Guía de Isora (12th). The Colombian company "4 paredes" will give 4 performances of their production "De ratones y hombres" (About mice and men) in El Sauzal (11th), Puerto de la Cruz (12th), Tegueste (14th) and Adeje (15th). The same company will perform "Carta de una desconocida" (Letter from a stranger) in El Rosario (16th), Garachico (18th), Adeje (19th) and Los Realejos (21st).

Argentine theatre will be represented at this year's MEI by Diego Casado's company, which will perform "La Cápsula" (The capsule) at the Paraninfo on 18 and 19 September. The Chilean company 'Niño Proletario' comes to Tenerife with their play "Nadie lee fuego mientras todo se está quemando" (Nobody reads fire while everything is burning), which will be performed in Vilaflor (23rd), El Rosario (24th) and El Sauzal (25th); the Chileans of 'Colectivo Cuerpo Sur' offer their play "Mutilados en democracia" (Mutilated in democracy) with two performances on the 1 October in Puerto de la Cruz. The Chilean company 'Silencio Blanco' will perform the play "Pescador" (Fisherman) in El Sauzal (15th) and in Puerto de la Cruz (17th and 19th).

The Portuguese company 'Hotel Europa Teatro' - made up of the Portuguese André Amalio and the Czech Teresa Havlíckova - will propose their show "Perfect Match" on 17 and 18 September at the Teatro El Sauzal. The Uruguayans 'Marea Productora Teatral' will close this edition with the play "Ana contra la muerte" (Ana against death). It can be seen in Arona (29th), El Sauzal (2nd and 3rd October) and Candelaria (6th). 

The representation from the Canary Islands during this MEI festival will start with the company Delirium. It will perform the piece "La buena vecindad" (Good neighbourliness) in Tacoronte on 3 and 4 September. ‘Ángulo Producciones' will perform "Tesla/Edison" in Tegueste (19) and the company 'Unahoramenos' brings two proposals: "Moria" and "Clara y el abismo" (Clara and the abyss). The piece "Tesla/Edison" has two daily performances in El Sauzal (22nd), Arona (26th) and Vilaflor (28th), while "Clara y el abismo" can be seen on the 24th in El Sauzal.