Two mirages. On the one hand wars, droughts, massive deforestation, polluted coasts, labor exploitation, political instability, poor sanitary conditions, persecution, forced deportation, abuse of natural resources, depleted aquifers, food shortages…

On the other hand, stocked supermarkets, safe streets, family stability, good health services, freedom, paid work, respect for human rights, welfare, recycling and renewable energies, prosperity, social mobility…

And in between, flocks of birds. Thousands of migrating birds constantly drawing impossible shapes in the sky. Movement. Ceaseless movement. Birds… and beyond, planets, asteroids, raw materials, galaxies, blood, cells, weapons, atoms, electrons, advertising, quarks, ideology, fear, waste, hope. Life. Nothing in the cosmos is quiet. Stillness is a chimera. The only thing there is, is movement.

If it is impossible to stop an electron, what’s the point in building fences against flocks of birds?

On stage, a scale model recreating this picture. Where was it taken? Who took it? Why is this picture so appealing? Is it just for its content or there’s more? Who are the people on it? Where do they come from? What happened next? Who are we, the ones observing this picture?

Birdie is an attempt to give an answer to all these questions by asking more questions through live video, objects, a classic film revisited, 2.000 mini animals, wars, smugglers, a massive migration and three performers handling this messy world with wit, criticism and commitment with mankind.
Project manager
Barbara Bloin

Lighting design and video programming
Alberto Barberá

Sound design and soundtrack
Roger Costa Vendrell

Video creation
Vicenç Viaplana

Scale models
Saray Ledesma

Costumes
Nuria Manzano

Production assistant
Marta Baran

Scientific consultant
Irene Lapuente / La Mandarina de Newton Project advisor: Victor Molina

Legal advisor
Cristina Soler

Management
Iva Horvat / Agente129

Producers
Agrupación Señor Serrano
GREC Festival de Barcelona
Fabrique de Théâtre – Service des Arts de la Scène de la Province de Hainaut Festival Terrassa Noves Tendències
Monty Kultuurfaktorij
Konfrontacje Teatralne Festival

With the support of
Cultural Office of Spain’s Embassy in Brussels
Departament de Cultura de la Generalitat
Centre International de Formation en Arts du Spectacle de Bruxellles

Special thanks to the Biennale di Venezia – Biennale College Teatro 2015

This Catalan theatre group continues to storm the stages of both European and global theatre festivals. Their spectacular shows make use of all available technologies, winning them the 2015 Silver Lion prize at the Venice Biennale for “developing a new theatrical language”. Our Festival will host two of their shows: the well-known A House in Asia and the premiere of Birdie. Alex Serrano, the founding leader of this group, will lead workshops throughout the period of the Festival.

Founded by Àlex Serrano in Barcelona in 2006, the company uses the richness of innovative and vintage tools to extend the boundaries of its theater. Based on creative collaborations, Señor Serrano’s productions blend stage performance, text, video, sound, and scale models to stage stories about discordant aspects of today’s human experience. At present, Agrupación Señor Serrano is composed by Àlex Serrano (artistic director), Pau Palacios (content manager) and Barbara Bloin (production manager).