The relationship between ritual and contemporary Catalan theater in the work of La Fura dels Baus (2015)

Undergraduate: Duri Long

Faculty Advisor: Karen O'Brien
Department: Dramatic Art

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This paper builds on literature discussing Catalan ritual, contemporary Catalan theater, and the relationship between theater and ritual beyond the Catalan sphere in order to explore the influence of Catalan ritual on Catalan theater and the implications this has on Catalan cultural identity. At a time when Catalan identity has become increasingly complicated due to relations with Spain, rising immigration levels, and the pressure of globalization, looking to the confluence of theater and ritual for answers is both natural and necessary. By identifying key thematic and symbolic elements that are present in Catalan rituals and conducting a case study of theater company La Fura dels Baus in order to examine how these elements appear in their work, this paper will establish that Catalan ritual has a clear influence on contemporary Catalan theater. Furthermore, it will argue that while La Fura dels Baus does not directly engage with questions of Catalan identity, the company does create a theatrical space in which identity can be defined. Theatrical spaces like this can help to clarify questions of identity and promote social unity, both of which are key issues in contemporary Catalan society.