In the family farmhouse, Climent is terminal. His two children are watching over the sick man, awaiting the fatal outcome; while it arrives, the father communicates with his children by means of a bell that he rings every time he needs something.
Outside, rain and cold occupy everything. The farmhouse begins to become isolated after a storm whose end is unknown. In this unsettling atmosphere, there is a knock at the door: it is the CAP doctor (Anna Sahun) who comes to visit the patient. She goes up to visit him and, when she comes down again, announces that the father has just died. But the sound of the bell will break this atmosphere of mourning and calm, to lead us into a much darker, more ominous, and gloomy environment. Who rang the bell? And how?
An exquisite script, full of twists and where all the pieces fit together
From here, we witness an exquisite script, where every piece fits with millimeter precision. Unlike other twist comedies, here all the unknowns are resolved organically. The play leaves no loose ends.
Furthermore, the text constantly surprises the audience with revelations that change the perception of the characters every ten minutes. The pace is frantic; the energy never wanes and the feeling of "what will happen now?" is maintained until the last second.
Performances: The triumph of naturalness
Behind this machinery of twists, we find a fantastic cast that knows how to navigate between pragmatic skepticism and the blindest faith. The characters are drawn with overwhelming naturalness: they do not fall into caricature or easy shouting, a common mistake in the horror/comedy genre.
Ernest (Pau Carrió), Sandra (Mar Ulldemolins), Miki (Marc Rodríguez) and the doctor (Anna Sahun) are all of us. We can recognize our own quirks and fears in their reactions. This interpretive balance allows that, despite the madness of the situation, the story has a real dramatic weight. In addition, there is also room for the characters' arc; we see them evolve, debate, and confront family traumas while glancing sideways to see if the next door opens by itself.
Current humor and intelligent fear
The humor of La Presència is fresh, current and, above all, very original. It does not seek the gratuitous gag, but rather is born from the extreme situation and how the "city" mentality faces the unpredictable. Laughing at our fears is a cathartic exercise, and here it is done with brilliant intelligence. Through mystery and supernatural events, we witness the hidden truths of a family that has more secrets than it seemed.
La Presència is an essential comedy. A well-rounded work that shows that high-quality commercial theater can be made, combining a cinematic rhythm with human depth. Seriously: don't miss it!