trapu zaharra, 25 years doing the streets myriam gartzia
You have been together for 25 years. What has happened to the Trapu Zaharra theatre group in these 25 years?
It's hard to say in a few words says Santi Ugalde, founder of Trapu Zaharra. At the start, there were two of us, two clowns, comics. Myself and Txema Ocio. The members of the group have changed again and again, it all depends on what type of spectacle we want to put on. We've worked with musicians, we worked in show halls and theatres, and for the last ten years we have basically done street performance.
There's a book about the group's history called "Trapu Zaharra. 25 años haciendo la calle" (Trapu Zaharra. 25 years doing the streets.)
Yes, Artez published it last year, on our 25th anniversary. It takes you through the 25 years we have worked as a theatre group.
Though you've always worked through the medium of comedy, you're sharply critical of society. Is laughter dangerous?
Laughter is a comfort and for us, it's a manner in which we can express what we wish to express. Comedy is good way to reach people, there really is no other way to get to people on the street. It's the medium we like to use for our somewhat bitter stories, if you like. And it has to be street performance because our stories are always from the world of streets.
Audience participation is always a main feature of your performances.
Performing in the street enables you to do that. For us, the person there is more than a mere spectator, street performance allows you to go further than the limitations of a traditional theatre stage. In the street, you can tell your story directly to people there right in front of you, exactly like the way you and me are talking now. And as I have already said, the stories are stories that happen in any street. I mean, if you are coming from the truth, the streets can house almost anything.
You are very critical of society. You seem to dip into many different realities.
That's what we like. I mean, at the end of the day, it's what's out there, and if we find something interesting, we try and make it interesting for the public. We are not really about telling old stories or drama, the street itself has some very particular characteristics, the public's attention is different and street noise is always an element. Our final objective is to tell a real story. That said, street performance will always force you to be flexible with the story and the script, the play is a live moving thing, it constantly changes. We write our own scripts so there's no problem changing that. That flexibility is one of our traits, we never 'finish' a piece of work. The ability to create and build is very important to us. Street performance gives you that opportunity to change and transform.
What is your latest piece of work?
We're working on a show called “Vaya Ganga”, it's still at the creation stage. We're also working on a project with the group Vasco Tour that will involve 13 performances. This project might help us with the play we want to do about tourism next year. There are two groups with Trapu Zaharra nowadays, one in Basque and one in Spanish, there are seven or eight of us involved.
Your objective is not to move to a serious residence?
Not a serious one, no. We have done so before but the street is the liveliest place for us. We feel close to the public there, we can see their faces, laughter and attitude.
For children, teenagers and adults.
Our theatre is for adults but you can come across anything in the street and that's something we bear in mind. There can by children and young kids in the audience, but they are not our objective.
How would you define Trapu Zaharra today?
We're a bunch of people in crisis too, but we still maintain our hopes and enthusiasm.
It's hard to say in a few words says Santi Ugalde, founder of Trapu Zaharra. At the start, there were two of us, two clowns, comics. Myself and Txema Ocio. The members of the group have changed again and again, it all depends on what type of spectacle we want to put on. We've worked with musicians, we worked in show halls and theatres, and for the last ten years we have basically done street performance.
There's a book about the group's history called "Trapu Zaharra. 25 años haciendo la calle" (Trapu Zaharra. 25 years doing the streets.)
Yes, Artez published it last year, on our 25th anniversary. It takes you through the 25 years we have worked as a theatre group.
Though you've always worked through the medium of comedy, you're sharply critical of society. Is laughter dangerous?
Laughter is a comfort and for us, it's a manner in which we can express what we wish to express. Comedy is good way to reach people, there really is no other way to get to people on the street. It's the medium we like to use for our somewhat bitter stories, if you like. And it has to be street performance because our stories are always from the world of streets.
Audience participation is always a main feature of your performances.
Performing in the street enables you to do that. For us, the person there is more than a mere spectator, street performance allows you to go further than the limitations of a traditional theatre stage. In the street, you can tell your story directly to people there right in front of you, exactly like the way you and me are talking now. And as I have already said, the stories are stories that happen in any street. I mean, if you are coming from the truth, the streets can house almost anything.
You are very critical of society. You seem to dip into many different realities.
That's what we like. I mean, at the end of the day, it's what's out there, and if we find something interesting, we try and make it interesting for the public. We are not really about telling old stories or drama, the street itself has some very particular characteristics, the public's attention is different and street noise is always an element. Our final objective is to tell a real story. That said, street performance will always force you to be flexible with the story and the script, the play is a live moving thing, it constantly changes. We write our own scripts so there's no problem changing that. That flexibility is one of our traits, we never 'finish' a piece of work. The ability to create and build is very important to us. Street performance gives you that opportunity to change and transform.
What is your latest piece of work?
We're working on a show called “Vaya Ganga”, it's still at the creation stage. We're also working on a project with the group Vasco Tour that will involve 13 performances. This project might help us with the play we want to do about tourism next year. There are two groups with Trapu Zaharra nowadays, one in Basque and one in Spanish, there are seven or eight of us involved.
Your objective is not to move to a serious residence?
Not a serious one, no. We have done so before but the street is the liveliest place for us. We feel close to the public there, we can see their faces, laughter and attitude.
For children, teenagers and adults.
Our theatre is for adults but you can come across anything in the street and that's something we bear in mind. There can by children and young kids in the audience, but they are not our objective.
How would you define Trapu Zaharra today?
We're a bunch of people in crisis too, but we still maintain our hopes and enthusiasm.
