As we mark the 90th anniversary of the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, EUROM invites you to discover the powerful dialogue between theatre and memory through a staged reading of Los niños de Morelia (The children of Morelia). In this moving play, Víctor Hugo Rascón Banda revisits one of the most poignant episodes of Republican exile, shedding light on the story of the children who found refuge far from home.
The play premiered in 2005 in a production by the Catalan company La Jarra Azul and the Mexican company Conjuro Teatro, directed by Mauricio Jiménez. Over time, this production became the first part of a trilogy dedicated to the memories of Republican exile, later completed with Winnipeg, Neruda’s Ship (2020) and Massilia (2025).
The story takes us back to 1937, in the midst of the Spanish Civil War, when 456 children from Republican families were sent to Mexico to protect them from the conflict. President Lázaro Cárdenas welcomed them on June 10 and settled them at the España–México Industrial School in Morelia, hoping their exile would be temporary. However, the defeat of the Republic turned that journey into the beginning of an experience marked by separation, uncertainty and uprooting.
Twenty years after its premiere, The Children of Morelia returns in the format of a staged reading, keeping alive a story that continues to challenge us to reflect on the human consequences of war, exile and reception policies.
Bringing the text to life will be Cristina Cazorla, Ada Cusidó, Òscar García Recuenco, Bea Liebe and Joan Pasqual, members of the original Catalan cast, accompanied by the live voice and music of Edu Tudela and Nacho López.
The event will be followed by a conversation moderated by historian, cartographer and theatre critic Jordi Barra. Together, the participants will reflect on the power of artistic languages as vehicles for transmitting memory, the research and creative processes behind historically grounded works, and the role of theatre in marking the 90th anniversary of the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War.
This activity is organised by EUROM with the support of Barcelona City Council.
Free admission. Prior registration is recommended via this form.