http://www.amdram.net/articles/_/experiences/ Wed, 22 Feb 2012 12:59:41 +0000 43200 Articles from people who would like to share their experiences of Amateur Theatre http://www.amdram.net/articles/_/experiences/els-pastorets-r38 In 1987 to work in the theatre in Barcelona was still something rare and original. A few theatres, no more than 20, had a wealthy live and it was not easy to have a future being an actress. So when you came to see your parents and explained them that your idea was to became an actress, the useful answer was: “all right then, but go to the university first and have a real job”

On the other hand, I think the amateur theatre was really alive in Catalonia, because theatre, acting, like music or painting...etc, is a human being need from the beginnings of humanity. Men and women have always found a way to put on their artistic expressions or needs against the impediments.

One of the most popular manifestations of the amateur theatre in Catalonia has always being the much known representation in Christmas of Els Pastorets (The Little Shepherds).

Almost every one of us, Catalans, have been once in our lives a shepherd in an Els Pastorets representation.

The roots of that traditional playing are in the religious dramas from the middle age but until the XIX century you couldn’t find the first written text from Els pastorets. You can choose now more than one version written by different authors.

The story tells how the shepherds knew Jesus was born and decided to visit him, with all the story around, and angels and devils, and battle between good and bad.

You should find a play from Els Pastorets in every village of Catalonia and every borough of Barcelona, Tarragona, Lleida and Girona (the four regions of Catalonia) and everywhere have an adapted version with allusions to the political characters from the zone and every kind of jokes like the English Pantomimes.

Els Pastorets use to have a familiar ambiance too. You can find grandfather, father and children playing in the same representation. It’s something familiar and really traditional. The person in the village who plays de piano would work for the music part of the play, always present in Els Pastorets, the electrician would do the lights and sound, and so on.

And sometimes, it depends from the zone, the parts and characters past from parents to children as much as the responsibilities in front of the representation.

And more than that, the representation of Els Pastorets became in Catalonia a cradle of a lot of future great actors and actresses and a lot of amateur theatre companies.

Please note that Anna's first language is not English and this article has not been editted ]]> Sun, 16 Jan 2011 20:44:34 +0000 013d407166ec4fa56eb1e1f8cbe183b9