Theatricality and Ideology: Some Notes on the Dramaturgy of Joan Yago

Abstract

This article analyzes the dramaturgy of Joan Yago (Barcelona, 1987) and its impact on contemporary Catalan theater. It provides a brief overview of his career, closely linked to the company La Calòrica, emphasizing the versatility of his production. In this regard, some of the theatrical mechanisms Yago uses in his works are elucidated to understand how he reinvents the coordinates of political theater through comedy.

To delve into the scenic devices of his work, the article analyzes the play Entrevistes breus amb dones excepcionals, a play written in 2016 that was revised for its premiere at the Teatre Nacional de Catalunya on February 29, 2004. In this approach to the play, it is first studied how Yago uses estrangement mechanisms to place the spectator in an unusual position. Secondly, it elucidates how, through the dissonant scenic device, the spectator is driven to examine certain narratives and discourses. Thirdly, it examines how, through metatheatrical mechanisms, the author ensures that the audience establishes a dialogue not only with the stage but also with the audience. Ultimately, the article approaches how Yago dissects the spectacular nature of individual and collective construction.