How does a family organize itself when their daughters do professional theater?
For Bruna Armengol and Bruna Luz, acting in the play 'El barquer' has been like a game, but after this work of reviewing the script, attending rehearsals, premiering the play and performing all the shows there is a family logistics that has made it possible
BarcelonaThere are a couple of hours left until a new performance ofThe ferryman At the Teatre Lliure de Montjuïc in Barcelona, eleven-year-old Bruna Luz is restless and starts dancing before going on stage, while she waits for her turn to have her hair done, change, and put on her microphone. Beside her, ten-year-old Bruna Armengol joins in her games and laughs nonstop while waiting for the same. In a little while, they will become Mercy and Honor Carney, and their characters will travel to a rural area of County Armagh in Northern Ireland. It will be a day in late August 1981, and the Carney family will be celebrating Harvest Day. But the festive family day will end in tragedy.
This is the first professional experience for the two Brunas. They are debuting with a complex play, which brings together some twenty actors of very diverse ages, directed by Julio Manrique. The excitement and satisfaction of having become part of a cast of this caliber is contagious to everyone around them. Due to their age, they don't appear in every performance. They combine their stage experience with that of the young actresses Nora Pàmies and Elena Salvat, with whom they share their roles, but with whom they only met during the first few days of rehearsals.
Actors in the play 'The Barker'Marta Mas Gironés
"We were looking at auditions to try out until we found the one offered by the Teatre Lliure. My mother told me it was very famous, so I went. First, I had to send a video, and then I did a screen test. That's where I met Brunaeng." They've become very close friends since then and share a passion for theater. "When I was six, I did a play in my grandparents' village, and I liked it so much that I decided I wanted to dedicate myself to it," explains Bruna Armengol.
When Bruna Luz auditioned, her father was away on a trip. "When I called home to find out how it went, she was ecstatic, incredibly happy. She said it had gone very well, that the other girl was very pretty, that she had a great time, and that Julio Manrique was very handsome. Three days later, we got the final yes," recalls Jordi Luz.
Laia Rofes, Bruna Armengol's mother, also remembers the moment she was told her eldest daughter would be one of the children in the play's cast. "We approached it as an experience, an adventure, and an opportunity to audition at the Lliure. She went through it, and from the very first moment, they treated them very well to make them feel as comfortable as possible. She experienced it in a very natural and playful way."
"What we do is super fun. And it's true that you get very nervous the first day, but after that, you really enjoy it," explains Bruna Luz. After the audition came rehearsals and hours spent reviewing the script at home. "I read it once, and it stuck with me, and since we repeated it in rehearsals, it stuck with me even more. And I also know by heart the lines the other actors say before or after me. I could do it." The ferryman "All by myself!" says a smiling Bruna Armengol, who takes advantage of the longer intermissions to do her homework with her stage partner.
Family Logistics
Both experience it as a game, but behind the work of reviewing the script, attending rehearsals, premiering the play, and performing all the scheduled shows, there's a complex family logistics that have made it possible. "For our part, there's an effort to balance it with work. In my case, it involves family balancing because we have a younger daughter, and accompanying Bruna also sometimes means not seeing my other daughter, because maybe I haven't been able to get her up in the morning, and when we get home, she's already asleep," says Rofes. She also explains that they already told their daughter that this theatrical adventure would involve sacrifices, that she would be more tired, and that she would miss her friends' birthday parties. "We have to know how to handle the good things and accept the downsides."
In the case of the two young actresses, the school made it very easy for them. They understood and were able to reach agreements regarding extracurricular activities, since it's both a unique and temporary experience. "Our concern was also whether she could handle it, because it's a professional theater requirement, not an extracurricular activity. Some days we see her tired, but also so happy and excited that you can't even consider not accompanying her on this journey," Luz acknowledges.
A play with a political component
"My parents read me the story so I'd know what it was about and so I wouldn't be scared by the ending, and that helped me understand it better," says Bruna Luz. "The parts that aren't for adults are really funny. I had trouble understanding the ending, but I understand it more and more each time. And because we experienced it from the inside, it doesn't scare us as much. Seen from the outside, it's very impactful," explains Bruna Armengol. The ferryman It takes place during the years known as the troublesBetween the 1960s and 1990s, Irish Catholic republicans seeking independence clashed with Protestant unionists or loyalists who wanted to remain part of the United Kingdom, leading to a long period of violence in the country.
"We hesitated about explaining the political background of the play to an eleven-year-old girl, and ultimately decided against it. We preferred that Julio Manrique explain it so that our perspective wouldn't differ from the play's, which was a concern for us. And, so far, we haven't had any questions." Rofes emphasizes the work of the theater team in introducing the topic gradually, showing the children the elements that made up the story, also so that they wouldn't be distressed by the ending when it was revealed. "We've experienced it very naturally; it hasn't generated any conflict, but rather it's all been like a game," Rofes adds.
"When this play is over, we'll cry a lot. I think it will be more dramatic than the play itself," says Bruna Luz. Both want to continue doing theater, auditioning, and becoming the protagonists of other stories. And they encourage children their age to have the same passion for theater that they have. "We talk among ourselves about what the emotional release will be like after the play, but if we've been there for them on the way up, we'll be there for them on the way down too," Luz maintains. She says she tries to remind her daughter that it's not all sunshine and rainbows, that there are surely many girls who have auditioned and haven't been chosen. "They aren't aware of the magnitude of all this, but we want them to enjoy it a lot. Besides, it's also very nice to see the rest of the family so enthusiastic about this experience, which we all share together."
The theatrical profession in childhood
"An actor's work has no age limit. It's a marathon, and some people get there sooner than others, but the key is to train, refresh your skills, and reinvent yourself," says Lídia Casanova, coordinator of the Nancy Tuñón - Jordi Oliver School of Actors. This is the message they convey to younger actors and their families, especially those seeking quick results. "It's a profession where you need a solid foundation and to be well-trained, because opportunities may arise, but what will allow them to remain in this industry over time is having a solid foundation."
Casanova explains that the advantage children and young people have is that they haven't yet lost their desire to play, something very important in a profession that requires working under pressure. At the training center, in addition to teaching them the fundamentals of acting, they instill in them the importance of maintaining that playful spirit, but they also make them understand that discipline and generosity are essential. "Families also play a very important role. The attitude of the child or young person is crucial, and they often gravitate towards this profession based on the perspective and message conveyed by their parents." Casanova also acknowledges that they currently encounter families who encourage their children, but they remind them not to force them. "It has to be the children themselves who want to enter this work cycle. They need to be given space to balance playtime with studies and work, because it's not easy for them either, as it means giving up certain things." He points out that parents must be responsible for maintaining their mental clarity, setting boundaries, and keeping them grounded.
The Nancy Tuñón - Jordi Oliver School of Actors also points out that acting involves a certain amount of pressure at any age. "They'll be thrilled when they get cast, but by their fortieth performance, they might not feel like going anymore, and they'll still have to." Casanova notes that both parents and children must uphold this responsibility. She also observes that some parents are reluctant to let their children work, but acknowledges that those who want to pursue it and are certain this is the path they want to follow and see a future in it, will have more opportunities later on the sooner they start. At the same time, Casanova recommends explaining how the profession works to them, such as that they can enter the industry and later decide if they want to continue, but above all, not assuming that one special experience will automatically lead to another. "Creating certain expectations, especially when they are very young, is dangerous."
![Actors in the play 'The Barker'](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 5774 3849"%3E%3C/svg%3E)
