The Fènix Room invites us on a space journey with [AGON]IA

With [AGON]IA, the Cia del Corb proposes a journey that enters through the eyes from the first second: an aesthetic and acting display that transports us, without moving from our seat, to a solitude thousands of kilometers from Earth. The play presents an astronaut (Berta Pipó) alone in space, facing strange noises and a deep identity crisis.

[AGON]IA: The challenge of solitude in the Icarus

[AGON]IA, signed by Marcel Clement and directed by Victòria Boixadera, proposes a journey: accompanying an astronaut (Berta Pipó) on her mission of total isolation in the orbital station Icarus. But, as happens in the best genre stories, when oxygen is scarce, certainties begin to appear. This proposal seeks to unravel that need of ours to be recognized, even when we are thousands of kilometers from the gaze of others.

The first thing that strikes you when entering the room is the visual power of the staging. The set design is a marvel: a large illuminated cylinder that emulates the interior of a ship, but also becomes a cage for the protagonist. There is a great work in the design of the lights and the sound space that manages to recreate a hard sci-fi atmosphere that envelops us from the first minute.

Berta Pipó, the only actress in the play

The weight of the play falls on Berta Pipó, an actress who works with great naturalness. In her role as an astronaut, Pipó is fantastic. The most interesting thing about the play is when we discover the most human side of this astronaut. Despite being a brave heroine trained for a unique mission, in her intimacy she shows us a vulnerable and lost woman. This reflection on why we do what we do or to whom we want to demonstrate something with our achievements is, without a doubt, the most powerful narrative line of the proposal.

But, Berta Pipó also embodies a second character: a kind of metaphorical consciousness. Although she gives her all with very fluid body work, almost like dance, this more symbolic aspect feels a bit forced. Instead of managing to create more mystery, it ends up clouding the connection we had already established with the "real" astronaut.

The fine line between myth and clarity

It is evident that Marcel Clement is an author with a rich inner world and an enviable cultured background. The work makes references to Icarus, to Leviathan, and to other pillars of classical thought. However, in this eagerness to imbue the story with intellectual layers, the dramaturgy sometimes errs on the side of being too convoluted. The references are so dense and are thrown out so quickly that the spectator can feel a bit out of their depth. Perhaps, less "lesson" and more "suggestion" would have helped the message sink in more organically, without us feeling that we need a mythology dictionary to keep up with the ship's pace.

A necessary reflection, an ending to polish

The central idea of [AGON]IA is interesting and necessary: to confront our own insignificance in the cosmos. But the dramaturgy opts for a metaphorical background full of learned words that hinders the full understanding of the work and causes the rhythm to decline. In the end, we are left with the taste of having seen a theatrical exercise of the highest technical and acting level, but which loses strength due to an overly convoluted and distant script.

Even so, [AGON]IA leaves us wanting to follow the trail of Cia del Corb, which here demonstrates a staging capacity and an interpretive talent that promise great nights of theater.