Albert Boadella facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Albert Boadella
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Boadella in 2019
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| Born | July 29, 1943 |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Alma mater | University of Barcelona |
| Occupation | Actor, playwright |
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Notable work
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La Torna, Ubú President, ¡Viva Tabarnia! |
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Albert Boadella Oncins (born July 30, 1943) is a famous Spanish actor and playwright, which is a person who writes plays. He is best known for starting the theater group Els Joglars and was its director for 50 years, from 1962 to 2012.
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Early Life and Education
Albert Boadella was born in Barcelona, Spain. He studied acting and drama at the Institut del Teatre in Barcelona. To improve his skills, he also studied in Strasbourg, France, and learned about corporal expression, or acting with the body, in Paris. As a student, he was part of a mime artist group, where actors tell stories without speaking.
The Els Joglars Theater Company
In 1962, when he was just 19, Boadella co-founded the theater company Els Joglars with his friends Carlota Soldevila and Anton Font. He spent most of his career with this group, working as an actor, director, and writer for over thirty plays.
The plays created by Els Joglars were often satirical, meaning they used humor to criticize powerful people and institutions. Boadella frequently made fun of established powers, like the government and the Catholic Church. Because of this, his work often caused arguments and got him into trouble with political leaders.
Trouble with the Authorities
One of his most famous plays, La Torna (1977), made fun of the trial and execution of a man named Heinz Chez. The play was seen as an insult to the Spanish Army. As a result, on December 2, 1977, Boadella was arrested and put on trial in a military court.
The day before his trial, Boadella made a dramatic escape from prison. He fled to France and lived there until it was safe to return to Spain in the 1980s.
Famous and Controversial Plays
Even after returning to Spain, Boadella continued to create plays that sparked debate. His works like Teledeum and Ubú president included strong criticisms of well-known figures like the politician Jordi Pujol and the artist Salvador Dalí.
However, he also used his plays to show admiration for people he respected, such as the writer Josep Pla.
Political Views and Activism
Over his life, Boadella's political ideas have changed. In his youth, he supported Catalan nationalism, which is the idea that Catalonia (a region in Spain) should have more independence. He was seen as a cultural hero by those who opposed the dictatorship of Francisco Franco.
Later, he became a strong critic of some Catalan nationalist leaders. He felt that his plays were being boycotted, or deliberately ignored, in Catalonia. In 2007, he wrote a book called Adiós Cataluña (Goodbye Catalonia) and announced he would no longer work in the region.
He helped start a group called Ciutadans de Catalunya, which later became the political party Ciudadanos. This party believes that Catalonia should remain a part of Spain.
In 2018, Boadella took on a satirical role as the "President-in-exile" of Tabarnia. Tabarnia is a fictional region created as a joke to criticize the Catalan independence movement.
Other Work and Interests
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Besides theater, Boadella has created and directed TV shows. In 2003, he directed the movie ¡Buen viaje, Excelencia!, which was a humorous look at the final months of General Francisco Franco's life.
Boadella is also a big fan of bullfighting. He has publicly defended it as a form of art and has even written a play about it. His support for bullfighting has been praised by famous bullfighters but criticized by animal rights groups.
From 2009, he worked as the artistic director of the Teatros del Canal in Madrid. In 2012, he passed on the leadership of Els Joglars to his colleague, Ramon Fontserè.
Major Works
Boadella has created many works for theater, film, and television, and has also written several books.
Theater
- La torna (1977)
- Operació Ubú (1981)
- Teledeum (1983)
- Yo tengo un tío en América (1991)
- El Nacional (1993)
- La increíble historia del Dr. Floit & Mr. Pla (1997)
- Daaalí (1999)
- Ubú President o Los últimos días de Pompeya (2001)
- La cena (2008)
- 2036 Omena-G (2010)
Books
- El rapto de Talía (2000)
- Memorias de un bufón (2001)
- Adiós Cataluña. Crónicas de amor y de guerra (2007)
- ¡Viva Tabarnia! (2018)
- El Duque (2021)
Film
- Buen viaje, excelencia (2003)
See also
In Spanish: Albert Boadella para niños
