With the exciting aroma of the paellas that would serve as a popular lunch and with some fireworks escaping in the background, Sala Beckett presented its new season this Friday on a street-level stage. "Welcome to the Beckett's birthday party in Poblenou!", exclaims director Toni Casares with a burst of voice. Ten years ago, the venue moved from a basement in Gràcia to this large headquarters in the old industrial neighborhood, a former cooperative exceptionally renovated by the award-winning Flores i Prats studio. "It is a success story resulting from a conflict that could have ended badly. The process of expelling activities inherent to the city due to speculative processes was then beginning," recalled the current Secretary of State, Jordi Martí, formerly delegate of Culture and deputy mayor of Barcelona City Council. He participated in the search and capture of the new space to save a theater project that had proven fundamental for Catalan authorship and with a historic past of commitment. As recalled by the Councilor for Culture, Xavier Marcé, "the venue was founded in the late 70s by José Sanchis Sinisterra and Teatro Fronterizo".