A devilish comedy at the Poliorama

Ramon Madaula writes comedies about what he sees – and he is a great observer – and what surrounds him. In his works there is always something of himself and, in the case ofThe bonds, from his own history. If to the above, Loop (which was seen at the Flyhard Room last season and will be revived in Texas), touched on the sentimental confrontation between an artist father – a sculptor – and a daughter who had flown out of the nest, in The bonds looks back on his childhood. As a child, Madaula from Sabadell frequented the La Farándula theater in Sabadell to see Folch and Torres' Pastorets, and his sympathies ran more toward the good Satan than the not-so-good Archangel Gabriel. From those memories comes a comedy that is also a sincere tribute to amateur theater and will surely become one of the season's greatest achievements.

The president of the Cercle, who has played the role of Satan for thirty years, summons an old friend and colleague from the Pastorets to the theater stage. He had played the role of Archangel Miquel for years, but from whom he had been estranged for some time. He wants to offer him the role as his replacement, as he is about to go to prison. A challenge and a dream for Mr. Esteve, current general director of a peculiar organization, who will throw himself into playing the role under the guidance of his friend. He will have to find his Satan and bring out his evil side. And, of course, bonds also have their Satan inside, Madaula tells us, in a work that starts as a somewhat crazy comedy but mutates through an intrigue that will not be revealed until a magnificent finale.

The virtue ofThe bonds It lies in the precision of the language and the fact that there isn't a single useless retort. And also, of course, in the work of two great actors from Sabadell who never performed as Pastorets but know them very well. Madaula reserves the more serious role and leaves Boixaderas the demonic actions and monologues that draw laughter and applause from the audience. All this under the careful direction of Paco Mir, who adds some truly effective gestural gags. The devilish comedy works.