"When I've talked about my pain, I've often been told that I'm too intense."

BarcelonaThe first time Mariona Esplugues went to a psychiatrist's office, she was 10 years old. The man asked her if she knew how to multiply, and when she started crying, he gave her a Coca-Cola. Two decades have passed since that moment, which Esplugues now looks back on with a sense of humor and has even transformed into a play. She is the creator of CrazyA show that began with just two performances at the Eòlia Theatre and quickly became a minor phenomenon: it has been running for over four years now. Recognized with the BBVA Theatre Prize 2025 And with the award for best show for young people at the 2025 Igualada Festival, the production arrives on February 10th at La Villarroel, where it will celebrate its 100th performance and where it can be seen until March 1st.

Crazy It emerged after many years of silent suffering. "I had the need to talk, to express myself, and to free myself from a burden I'd been carrying for a long time," Esplugues emphasizes. From a young age, she suffered and became obsessed, and she soon normalized going to psychologists and psychiatrists to find ways to alleviate her pain, the path to recovery. "There are very good mental health professionals, but everyone has to find their own. It's a long process in which you have to open up a lot, and perhaps you don't always feel comfortable," the playwright points out.

Dressed in a tutu and armed with a baseball bat, on stage she recalls several experiences—not always helpful—in the doctors' offices. She also narrates, time and again, the incomprehension of those around her. "My family and the people who have lived with me have seen my suffering. But other people in my daily life saw me only as a studious girl with many hobbies." "When I've talked about my pain, I've often been told I'm too intense, or that I'm too young and it will pass. I've felt very alone," Esplugues explains.

The medication dilemma

The show dissects aspects and experiences related to mental health, from receiving different diagnoses to questioning the medication prescribed. "There are many gray areas surrounding medication, and I always make it clear that I'm not a professional. At times I've needed it, just as someone who breaks a leg needs to use crutches, but at the same time I've often wondered: 'If I take medication, do I stop being myself?' I try to show that it can be helpful, but for me it's not the solution," the artist reflects.

In this sense, her greatest discovery was a psychologist who understood her and has accompanied her on a profound healing journey. "Over all these years, what I've asked myself most is: 'What is my way of life? How can I live peacefully? What can I do to feel good?'" she says. Over time, she has found some answers. "I overthink things, I think a lot, and writing helps me channel all that energy. I've come to understand myself better; now I know that sometimes I need to disconnect completely, and I allow myself to do so. For me, mental health is closely linked to questioning what you want and choosing what philosophy to follow." The actress has toured Catalonia with the show—and will continue to do so, because the BBVA award includes a tour of the country—and has encountered very diverse audiences and experiences. "Young people react strongly to humor; for older viewers, it's more distant, but I notice that they connect with it," Esplugues explains. Crazy It has also been performed in numerous school shows, followed by discussions with the teenage audience. "They're tough and funny at the same time. Most of the time I stop the show because there's no silence, and I tell them, 'Hey, this isn't Netflix, you can't pause it and go do something else. I'm right here in front of you,'" says the playwright. "But then they connect, and the discussions are very moving."