‘The Mad History of Literature’ show

At Teatro Serrano, a show for the whole family is being prepared, in which literature becomes an object of pursuit and salvation. The play, presented by Teatro de Poniente, will have performances on 9 May, 3 July and 10 July.

The action takes place in a world where books are banned and reading has gradually disappeared from everyday life. Two characters called Rufinos belong to the secret organisation ‘Los Libreros’. They preserve literary works by reciting them aloud so that the stories are not lost to memory.

On stage, actors Antonio Velasco and Fernando de Retes guide the audience through excerpts from famous texts. The play includes motifs from ‘The Odyssey’, the tales of Scheherazade, ‘El Cid’, ‘Don Quijote’, ‘Hamlet’, ‘Gulliver’s Travels’ and ‘Around the World in 80 Days’.

The narrative is presented as an uninterrupted journey through literature, in which different eras and plots follow one another in just over an hour. The stories are presented through play and comic situations, making familiar texts feel more vivid and spontaneous.