When an American woman (Lily Collins) finds herself alone in Barcelona in a stranger’s (Álvaro Morte) apartment, things are bound to happen. This random encounter may find both of these strangers changed in more ways than one.
This one-act play is set in a small, yet typical, Catalonian apartment replete with sandy beige walls and wooden furniture (Frankie Bradshaw). This typical Mediterranean colour palette created a warm and inviting atmosphere, with particular emphasis on natural lighting (Jai Morjaria).
Just like most one-act shows, there is a risk of the story have either too much lagging, or too much rushing through. Unfortunately, for Barcelona, it was the latter. The mood would often change, almost quite instantly, inviting too much confusion and not leaving enough time for the emotions to be felt as they should be. However, that is in no way a reflection of the performance given as both were quite fantastic.
Collins’ character is the stereotypical drunk American woman, edging towards an obnoxiously loud and talkative persona. Although she leant towards moments of sensitivity at times, the character remained quite unlikable throughout. But that’s the point, isn’t it? Morte’s character, on the other hand, is the stereotypical Spaniard: mysterious, yet very charming and charismatic.
Their opposing personalities soon become apparent as they tackle sensitive political issues. Although the book is cleverly crafted to incorporate a clear divide between the American and the European people on political matters, those moments of clarity were often few and far between. It clearly felt as though once a topic was superficially discussed, the conversation changed its course and did not return for some time in order to finish the story within a single act.
Despite those flaws, the show in itself was held up by the clear talent on stage. However, this was not enough to remain captivating and thought-provoking throughout.
Barcelona runs at the Duke of York’s Theatre until 11th January. For tickets and more information, you can follow the link here.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3*)
Gifted tickets in return for an honest review | photography by Marc Brenner
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