The Dogs' Tavern

The Dogs' Tavern is a bittersweet, tender and humour-filled portrait of neighbourhood life, social struggle and what happens when politics comes knocking at the bar's door. The company Pecado Tarambana invites you to sit at the bar where anything (literally anything) can happen. Antonio's peaceful life, as the illustrious owner of a neighbourhood tavern, is disrupted when activists from the Tenants' Union set up camp right outside his bar to prevent an eviction. With the invaluable help of Manolo, his best and most loyal customer, Antonio will tackle the main problems of the country and of his own existence, all from the modest bar of his tavern. The quiet life of Antonio, the illustrious owner of a neighbourhood tavern, is disrupted when activists from the Tenants' Union set up camp right outside his bar to prevent an eviction. With the invaluable help of Manolo, his best and most loyal customer, Antonio will confront the main problems of the country and of his own existence, all from the modest bar of his tavern. Yesterday at Sala Fènix I watched this tragicomedy with a play by Miguel Peña Novo, in which he also performs alongside other actors under the direction of Axel Novo. All the action takes place in a traditional neighbourhood tavern where, that morning, a protest had been called just outside against a planned eviction. With colloquial language and a good dose of humour, we witness a typical pub-bar conversation where, as is often the case, they spare no one in order to denounce the current problems we are living through: job insecurity, evictions, gentrification, tourism, the lack of housing, and so on. At various points they break the fourth wall to involve the audience, creating some rather amusing situations. There are some very good performances, especially from the two main characters, Antonio and Manolo, although the rest of the cast are also very competent. I think that, as well as making a social critique, which it certainly does, in the face of today's apathy they have wanted to pay homage to this 'neighbourhood culture', showing that bars and taverns are a good place for us to get together and chat. Yesterday, tickets sold out. On until the 20th. It won't leave you indifferent. Do young people go to the theatre? Should we produce plays 'for young people'? How do we make them 'feel involved'? 'Young people' are a concern for cultural venues. […]