Escena Erasmus and the Provincial Council of Valencia show European identity on tour

This is the fifteenth show of the university theatre project, written byAnna MaríandDaniel Tormo, and directed byJosep Valero, which addresses the question of personal and collective identity: 'What is it that defines us? What is it that what makes us feel that we belong to a town, a country, a football team, an ideology, a community, a place?,' reads the synopsis.

'Based on testimonies and reflections of the actors from five different states, ‘Qui soc jo quan ningú em mira’ reflects on who we are and why, in an agitated world, once again threatened by the horrors of war, lies, and absolutism, but also by individualism, self-censorship, and a distorted projection of the self in the virtual world,' adds the director.

The first performances of the play will take place from 29 to 31 May in the Matilde Salvador Room of La Nau Cultural Centre of the UV at 7:00pm, and then, the show will tour the following Valencian municipalities:

Gandía, 6 June
El Genovés, 8 June
Turís, 16 June
Ontinyent, 27 June
Xirivella, 29 June
Carcaixent, 5 July
El Palomar, 6 July
Navarrés, 12 July
Gestalgar, 13 July
Carrícola, 14 July

The 2024 EscenaErasmus Tour is once again produced by the Department of Culture of the Provincial Council of Valencia. DeputyFrancisco Teruelattended the event, as well as Vice-Principal for CultureEster Albaand Vice-Principal for InternationalisationCarles Padilla. This year, the UV General Foundation has joined the project and, for the first time, the General Directorate of Culture of the ValencianGovernment is participating.

General DirectorSergio Arlandisacknowledged 'the emotion and pride of being able to support, now from the ValencianGovernment, the EscenaErasmus Project,' and added: 'I must applaud this initiative from start to finish, for its international and boundless dimension, which we will always support so that young people have access to culture, because a society without culture is a society without perspective.'

As mentioned byFrancisco Teruel, the Escena Erasmus theatre project 'is a unique proposal and the Provincial Council of Valencia will support it because culture is a meeting point for everyone,' highlighting the ability of this university initiative to bring together synergies between the academic world and public institutions, which has mobilised more than 200,000 spectators in its 15 years of existence. 'The Provincial Council of Valencia will always support culture and a project that, as Europeans, has a great capacity to unite people through Performing Arts.'

UV Vice-Principals praised the internationalisation of the EscenaErasmus project, which has managed to 'make different cultures coexist through Performing Arts, dialogue and dance, in an journey through the territory that is an opportunity to get to know a unique land in Europe, thus, achieving social justice in equal opportunities and making culture accessible to everyone.'

Ester Albainsisted on 'the importance of including Performing Arts in the integral education of university students, thus, restating that culture is an essential part of personal growth, as well as within the UV.'

UV EscenaErasmus is a project that is in line with the UV’s development of international relations, which continues to be the main European destination in receiving Erasmus students. Vice-PrincipalCarles Padillawelcomed and congratulated the cast, and reminded them of the enthusiasm they will receive in the towns the Las Pequeñas Europas cultural tour will visit, and encouraged them to make the most of this 'vital experience as Erasmus students, but also as part of the project, where [they] will live an invaluable experience through cultural exchange and the universal language that is theatre.'

EscenaErasmus co-director,Josep Valero, explained the theme and identity of the play, which he described as 'an intimate and personal concept' and which is explored through three key ideas: the definition of the self, the celebration of tradition (a collective reality as opposed to the individualism of identity), a nod to the Estellés Year with a musical composition byPanchi Vivó. 'We begin the fifteenth edition of EscenaErasmus with a text that, for the first time, gives more importance to the testimonies and thoughts of actors than to fiction itself, and with which we hope to bring European identity to our towns,' explained.

The presentation ceremony was also attended by mayors, town councillors and technicians from different town councils of La Gira and the UV General Foundation managing director,Cristóbal Suria.

More than 300 different places

The EscenaErasmus shows, starring Erasmus students who also participate in the texts, have been performed in more than 300 cities, towns, and prisons, as well as in theatre festivals such as those of Almagro, Olite, Olmedo, Elche, Alcalá, the Santander International Festival, or at the European Commission in Brussels.

The 2024 cast is comprised of the ItaliansAlice Vaccaro,Fabiana Quattrone,Giulia Sbraccia,Luca TinaroandMarta Toso, the FrenchDoucia Lopez-PueyoandJulie Mendez, the GermanLeonie Ronja, the ValencianCarlos Baixauli,Sara OlivasandSandra Pombo, and the BasqueJune Otxoantesana. TheIES Patacona de Alborayaalso participates in the play for the first time in charge of the characterisation of the actors.

The project aims to harness their full creative potential by involving European exchange, Erasmus and UV students in the cultural life of the city. As a result of its high quality and success, EscenaErasmus has been recognised on multiple occasions: they received theCharlemagne Youth Award of the European Parliamentin 2011; theHonourable Mention of the ‘Spotlight on Heritage in Culture and the Arts’ Awardof the Performing Arts Employers Association League Europe in Brussels in 2018; theAVETID 2019 Awardfor Best Valencian Theatre Project in 2021; theDistinction of the 9 d’Octubre Lluís Vives Award from the Valencian Governmentfor their Valencian contribution to European construction in 2023, and theValencian Performing Arts Honour Awardof the Cultural Institute of Valencia-GVA.