This theatrical piece, by the most performed living German author internationally, won the Mülheim Dramatikerpreis in 2010. In 2024, Schimmelpfennig was recognized as the best author of the year in Germany at the Mülheimer Theatertage Festival for his work Laios.
The production, by Sarabela Teatro, has been honored with several María Casares Theater Awards 2025, including Best Supporting Actress, Best Lighting, Best Set Design, and Best Sound Design, as reported by the Generalitat.
The play explores themes such as illegal immigration, forced prostitution, and the everyday nature of human relationships. With subtle humor and a blend of fantasy and reality, five actors portray 17 characters in 48 fast-paced scenes.
The plot unfolds in a multi-story building somewhere in Europe. A young Chinese man suffers from a severe toothache in the kitchen of an oriental fast-food restaurant, The Golden Dragon. Without a residence permit or money, he cannot go to the dentist, and his colleagues decide to pull his tooth. Various dissatisfied neighbors reside in the building, and the fable of The Ant and the Grasshopper is subversively interwoven between scenes.
Actors Fina Calleja, Fernando Dacosta, Sabela Gago, Fernando González, and Fran Lareu transform into characters of different identities, ages, and genders. The play, translated by Albert Tola, features dramaturgy and direction by Ánxeles Cuña Bóveda.
“"An impactful, innovative, and playful proposal that questions and reflects the peculiarities of theater, opening the pores of the skin and consciousness. A work that challenges, moves, and makes an impact, immersing the audience in a fascinating, very peculiar, and harmonious universe."
Tickets are available at the box offices of Teatro Principal and Teatro Rialto, as well as through the IVC's online ticket service.
