The lies about Mary Magdalene are exposed at the National Theatre

Barcelona"The story we've been told about Mary Magdalene is a kind of Pretty woman from the first century. What we all think is that she was a sinful and repentant prostitute whom Jesus forgave. But this is a myth,” says Carme Portaceli, director of the National Theatre of Catalonia (TNC), who adds that “none of the canonical gospels say that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute.” Where does the archetype come from? What impact has it had on women throughout more than two thousand years of history? Why has it been constructed? Mary MagdaleneThe TNC's big bet for this season.

Directed by Portaceli with dramaturgy by Michael De Cock, the show will run in the Sala Gran from January 22 to February 22. The protagonist is Ariadna Gil, who plays a professor tasked with giving a lecture in Barcelona on Mary Magdalene. This seemingly mundane assignment opens the door to an initiatory journey that leads her to question identity and the construction of women's roles in society. "There's a deconstruction of the myth of Mary Magdalene and, in parallel, of the protagonist. It's a show about how patriarchy, lies, and prejudices have shaped how our lives should be. The conflict lies between who we are, who we want to be, and who society thinks we should be," says De Cock, the artistic director.

This is the third time the Belgian playwright has teamed up with the TNC director. Together they created Mrs. Dalloway (2019) and Bovary (2023), and now they continue their mission to bring to the forefront of theater the protagonists and women who have marked a turning point in world history. "We want to spark reflection, create provocation, and revisit misinterpretations we've carried over from the past," the playwright points out. The alliance with De Cock will allow Mary Magdalene travel to Brussels, where its predecessors have already been performed and also Portaceli's version of Lowlands in 2023. This time, the show is in Catalan with segments in English, Portuguese, and Albanian.

A taxi driver named Jesus

To "uncover the lies" about Mary Magdalene, Portaceli has assembled a company of nine performers who embody the various characters the protagonist encounters on her journey, including the teacher's eldest daughter (Míriam Moukhles), a sculptor who interprets her dreams (Anna Ycobalzeta) and helps her navigate a difficult divorce. Jesus Christ doesn't appear in the story in the flesh, but the protagonist meets a Portuguese taxi driver (Romeu Runa) who accompanies her to Montserrat and shares the name Jesus.

"It's a very unconventional production, with a more rational part that explains how the story of Mary Magdalene has been modified and another part focused on spiritual transformation," notes Ariadna Gil. The actress emphasizes that she "took a lot of risks" in this creative process and made discoveries about the construction of her own identity. "I knew very little about Mary Magdalene, and yet the image of a sinful woman has deeply affected me and influenced my way of life," Gil points out.

The sound and visual elements play a fundamental role in the work, with several components on stage. To begin with, Laia Vallès has composed and performs live music using an open piano whose sounds are always distorted. The soundscape also features the voice of soprano Ana Naqe, who also plays the role of the protagonist's sister-in-law, an activist facing a dilemma about testifying against her brother. The choreography for the performers is by Ferran Carvajal.

To further enhance the surreal and dreamlike atmosphere of the production, a large screen on stage will project images of a desert and a space where Alessandro Arcangeli will paint live. "This work doesn't work solely through rationality. The senses play a crucial role, and the viewer must let themselves be carried away," says Gil.