Tota una vida o l’èpica d’una mosca

Residence April 2026

At El Canal, they present Tota una vida o l’èpica d’una mosca, a text-free puppet and object theatre piece that focuses on what seems insignificant in order to uncover the epic dimension of small things. Through the short but intense life of a fly, the piece questions the importance of a life, prejudice, survival, and human contradiction. The proposal seeks a visual and intercultural mode of communication, shaped through humour, fantasy and double meanings, in a universe where the fly’s world becomes an absurd yet revealing reflection of the human one.

Formally, the project rethinks the tabletop performance format, preserving its simplicity while expanding its scenic possibilities. Here the company explores a small-scale language based on the relationship between the actress-puppeteers and the puppets, the play of scale and perspective, and a specific investigation into unconventional lighting. One of the key starting points of the creation is also the desire to build a narrative aimed at intergenerational audiences. The piece begins as if it were a conventional family show, but quickly collapses into disaster because of the accidental interference of a fly, and this apparent mishap opens the door to the work’s true scenic delirium.

The residency at El Canal is part of a crucial stage in the creative process. During the residency, the company brings together the full artistic team to work across dramaturgy, space, manipulation, music, costume and lighting. This encounter allows the material developed so far to evolve and be tested with audiences of different ages, in an open working phase that aims to refine the connection with spectators while also making visible the mechanisms of stage creation. The premiere is scheduled for October 2026.