SOS in mental health and parental leave: what has caught our attention the most this week
'Hansel and Gretel' and the return of 'Fuet', among the cultural offerings
BarcelonaThis week we'd like to recommend a wide range of activities for the coming days. You can choose from 'Hansel and Gretel', Magic Pablo, the return of Mic to the stage and 'Fuet', or a show for parents: The Park
We also suggest a review of the week's news through Andrea Zayas' comic strip, the section Something to think about and the data and statements that have most caught our attention.
Cultural and leisure activities
At the Poliorama
![Hansel i Gretel](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 1 1"%3E%3C/svg%3E)
This Christmas, the Petit Poliorama will host a very special celebration: La Roda Produccions reaches its 25th anniversary and celebrates by returning to one of the most significant stages in its history. On January 3, 2026, the company commemorates a quarter of a century dedicated to family theater and, to celebrate, revives one of its most beloved productions: Hansel and GretelFirst performed at the Teatre Poliorama in 2009, this show tells the story of Hansel and Gretel, who find themselves lost in a dark and gloomy forest. They embark on a journey filled with mystery, fantasy, and danger, with a single goal: to find their way back home. This fun, musical, and heartwarming version of the classic Grimm Brothers tale has been a part of the childhoods of thousands of children and can be seen from December 28th to January 18th, 2026.
At the Teatreneu
Magician Pablo Barán, known as Magic Pablo, celebrates his 10th season performing at the Teatreneu in Barcelona this December 13th. This is an exceptional milestone in Catalan family theater. At just 18 years old, Pablo debuted on that very stage, and since then he has entertained over 100,000 spectators and starred in several successful shows. To celebrate this uninterrupted decade on stage, the Teatreneu will host a special performance on December 13th, and his show will continue to run until then. Magic Kids - Great Challenge, which this year marks its fourth consecutive season at the Teatreneu, mixing impactful magic, theatre, dance and a large-format staging.
'The park'
This week we have a show for you, mothers and fathers. Every afternoon, Raül and Eduard take their children to the park after school. Between swings, chocolate sandwiches, and arguments in the school chat, these two fathers turn a park bench into a comedy stage. This is the starting point ofThe parkThe play, which humorously portrays the relationship between two very different men while exploring new family models, male vulnerabilities, and the contradictions of modern parenting, can be seen at the Aquitania Theatre in Barcelona on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays in December and January.
At the SAT!
The theater scene is gearing up for the Christmas season. And on November 29th, it arrives at the SAT! MAC MEC MIC Following its premiere last season at the Teatro La Biblioteca, this small-format puppet show captures the magic of Mic's universe. In a space designed for children and their families, the characters interact and share an exciting adventure. A La Perla 29 production in collaboration with SX3 (Super3), it will run until January 18th. For over 18 years, Catalan families have been experiencing their children's first discoveries with Mic at SX3, through an educational program that combines entertainment and humor with the transmission of values.
November 28
If your sons and daughters like history, you're in luck because the new season of [series name] premieres on November 28th on 3Cat and SX3. WhipThe Super 3 program that recounts Catalan history and traditions with both accuracy and humor. The new episodes of the third season broaden their scope to include world history. Kiry, Eda, and Commander Jau Coloma will travel through various eras in search of Fuet, the alien cat. Viewers will experience the discovery of fire, learn about Pharaoh Tutankhamun, and explore the Great Wall of China, encountering familiar characters and new ones along the way. The program is produced by the Museum of the History of Catalonia, and, as a new feature, the Racó Fuet, a permanent interactive Super 3 space within the museum, is being launched, aimed at children and families.
Until November 30th
From November 15th to 30th, the 21st edition of the ElPetit festival takes place. The program unfolds across 30 venues in eleven different cities, including Barcelona, Sabadell, Granollers, Sant Cugat del Vallès, and Madrid. The program, comprised of shows, workshops, and art installations, is designed for children aged 0 to 5 and their families. Among the shows are premieres ofWave, from the company La Súbita, which combines dance, objects, light and live music, or from Komunumo, From Electric 28. It's the story of an atypical family community made up of a crazy but caring old monkey, a pair of horses who never have time for vacations, and a playful young laundry bear. You can find the full schedule at www.elpetit.cat
Literary recommendations from Marta Gil, bookseller at El Gat Pelut
By Frances Hardinge, with illustrations by Emily Gravett (Bamboo)
Centella and her ferret, Lisa, journey through a forest filled with secrets and dangers to complete a mission that could change their world forever. With precise and poetic style, Frances Hardinge—one of the leading voices in British children's fiction—weaves a powerful story about the relationship between humans and nature, between light and darkness. Emily Gravett's illustrations underscore its mysterious and captivating atmosphere. A profound and fascinating adventure for young readers seeking excitement and meaning.
Ages 12+.
Things That Happen (to Me), by Andrea Zayas
![Things that happen to me](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 1600 1598"%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Something to think about
Mental health is on everyone's lips, but caring for people with mental health needs dedicated professionals. And it is these professionals, specifically those working in 30 of the 58 Child and Adolescent Mental Health Centers (CSMIJ) in Catalonia, who have launched an SOS for help in a situation they consider "unsustainable." Overcrowded schedules, excessive bureaucracy and medicalization, a lack of professionals, and a lack of dialogue with the administration are just some of the obstacles they face in offering, they say, a quality service. That is why they have drafted a manifesto to seek solutions and defend public healthcare.
