Massilia marks the final chapter of an evocative theatrical trilogy that pays tribute to the memory of Republican exile following the Spanish Civil War. Produced by La Jarra Azul and Teatre Akadèmia, and developed in collaboration with the European Observatory on Memories (EUROM), the production will premiere at the Grec Festival 2025 in Barcelona.
Launched in 2005 with Los niños de Morelia, and followed by Winnipeg, el vaixell de Neruda—premiered at the 2020 Grec Festival—this trilogy revisits the exodus of thousands of Spanish Republicans who, fleeing fascist repression, embarked on ships bound for exile in the Americas. In 2025, marking its 25th anniversary, La Jarra Azul closes this cycle with Massilia, a moving reflection on one such voyage to Buenos Aires in 1939.
Taking its name from the ship that carried them, Massilia focuses on a group of intellectuals and artists who, upon arrival in Argentina, encountered a complex political and cultural landscape. Through the voices of four young actors, the production evokes a pivotal historical moment that still resonates today, raising urgent questions about memory, identity, and the echoes of exile across generations. One of the most provocative themes explored in the play is the unsettling possibility that the descendants of those who once fled fascism might now find themselves supporting the resurgence of far-right ideologies in contemporary Argentina.
Première
- Teatre Akadèmia
- From June 18 to July 6, 2025
- Get your tickets
About the production
Directed by renowned Argentine theatre-maker Nelson Valente, founder of Banfield Teatro Ensamble, the production features writing by Albert Boronat (Projecte NISU) and Maria Donoso. Boronat’s recent works include 1936, Prostitución (with Andrés Lima), and Una casa en la montaña, all of which engage deeply with Spain’s historical memory. Donoso, who also collaborated with Boronat on NODI, brings experience from community-based projects such as Fem (la llista de Lourdes) and Teatre Kaddish in El Prat de Llobregat.
Founded in the Sant Andreu district of Barcelona, La Jarra Azul has spent 25 years fostering artistic expression among youth and building bridges between memory, education, and culture. In addition to its theatre work, the collective organises the Mostra de Curtmetratges Dr. Mabuse, a long-standing short film festival.
This production is a collaboration between La Jarra Azul, Puça Espectacles, and Teatre Akadèmia, with support from the European Observatory on Memories.
Artistic Credits
Authors: Albert Boronat, Maria Donoso
Director: Nelson Valente
Cast: Laura María González, Júlia Molins, Martí Salvat, Lluís Marquès
Translation: Rocío Garcia
Set Design: Helena Mateos-Serna
Costume Design: M. del Mar Grañena
Lighting Design: Lluís Serra
Soundscape: Nacho López
Photography: Carles Araguz
Assistant Director: Pau Ferran
Executive Producer: Marina Guarch
Production Director: Óscar García Recuenco
Acknowledgements: Maruxa Ruíz del Árbol, Horacio García, Nuri Madrid, María Antonia Muñoz-Malajovich, Carmen Bernand, and the European Observatory on Memories.