Barcelona (play)

☆ Save On Wikipedia ↗
Barcelona
2024 West End production poster
Original languageEnglish
Written byBess Wohl
CharactersIrene
Manuel
GenreDrama
Premiere
DateJuly 6, 2012
PlaceContemporary American Theater Festival

Barcelona is a dramatic play by American playwright Bess Wohl about a tourist named Irene who meets Manuel, a grounded Spaniard, and the events leading to a one-night stand.[1] The play premiered in 2013 at the Contemporary American Theater Festival[2] and has since been produced in Los Angeles in 2016, starring Betty Gilpin and Carlos Leal,[3] and on the West End in 2024 starring Lily Collins and Álvaro Morte.[4]

Plot

The play follows Irene, a drunken American tourist, in Barcelona, Spain who crosses paths with Manuel, a brooding local Spaniard. The two share a one-night stand filled with power outages, rusty plumbing and a political game of cat-and-mouse as their lives, cultures and experiences clash.[5]

Production history

The play made its world premiere on July 6, 2012 at the Contemporary American Theater Festival in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.[6] Directed by Charles Morey, the production starred Anne Marie Nest as Irene and Jason Manuel Olazabal as Manuel.[7] DC Theatre Scene praised the production, calling it "first-rate, with intelligent, spot-on acting and directing to match Wohl’s perceptiveness and wit."[8]

It then premiered at People's Light and Theatre Company in Malvern, Pennsylvania in 2013, running June 3 to June 30, 2013. The production was directed by Jackson Gay and starred Julianna Zinkel and Robert Montano as Irene and Manuel, repsectively.[9] The production received generally positive reviews, with WHYY-TV praising Gay's direction and the cast's performance, though noted that it "wasn’t an altogether satisfying aftertaste."[10]

The play made its West Coast premiere in Los Angeles in 2016 at the Geffen Playhouse, directed by Trip Cullman and starring Betty Gilpin as Irene and Carlos Leal as Manuel. The production ran from February 2, 2016 through March 13, 2016, and received positive reviews.[11] The Los Angeles Times praised the production for "(staying) one step ahead of theatergoers" and lauded the show's "precisely calibrated" direction and "superlative acting."[12] TheatreMania positively received the show, praising Gilpin's performance as having "considerable charisma" and Leal's "elusive and a little dangerous" portrayal of Manuel.[13] The production was nominated for seven Ovation Awards, including Best Production of a Play.[14]

In 2020, Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago, Illinois announced the play as part of their 2020/21 season, with Cullman returning to direct. Caroline Neff was set to perform the show as a solo show, with an opening on January 28, 2021, but the production was ultimately cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic-related season changes.[15]

In 2024, a new production of the play was announced on the West End in London at the Duke of York's Theatre starring Lily Collins as Irene and Álvaro Morte as Manuel. Directed by Lynette Linton, the production ran from October 21, 2024 through January 11, 2025.[16] The production received mixed reviews, with The Guardian calling it a "curiously flat drama mixing suspense, comedy and politics"[17], while Strand Magazine praised it as "evocative" and called the performances "brilliant."[18] Collins received particular praise, with The Standard praising her performance as "sensational" and noting that "her appearance generates a crackle of excitement."[19]

Cast and characters

Character CATF
2012[20]		 Malvern 2013[21] Los Angeles 2016[22] West End 2024[23]
Irene Anne Marie Nest Julianna Zinkel Betty Gilpin Lily Collins
Manuel Jason Manuel Olazabal Robert Montano Carlos Leal Álvaro Morte

Awards and nominations

2016 Los Angeles production

Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2016 Ovation Award Best Production of a Play (Large Theater) Nominated [24]
Lead Actress in a Play Betty Gilpin Nominated
Acting Ensemble of a Play Betty Gilpin and Carlos Leal Nominated
Director of a Play Trip Cullman Nominated
Lighting Design (Large Theater) Japhy Weideman Nominated
Scenic Design (Large Theater) Mark Wendland Nominated
Sound Design (Large Theater) Vincent Olivieri Nominated

References

  1. Riefe, Jordan (March 11, 2016). "'Barcelona': Theater Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  2. "Production History". Contemporary American Theater Festival. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  3. "Barcelona". Geffen Playhouse. 2016. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  4. Gans, Andrew (October 21, 2024). "Lily Collins and Álvaro Morte Make West End Debuts in Bess Wohl's Barcelona Beginning October 21". Playbill. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  5. Riefe, Jordan (March 11, 2016). "'Barcelona': Theater Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  6. Gans, Andrew (February 13, 2012). "Contemporary American Theater Festival Announces 2012 Season". TheaterMania. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  7. "Production History". Contemporary American Theater Festival. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  8. Titus, Tom (July 9, 2012). "Theater Review: 'Barcelona'". DC Theater Arts. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  9. Murphy, Bill (June 4, 2013). "'Barcelona' at People's Light: Americans abroad, again". Broad Street Review. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  10. Shapiro, Howard (June 4, 2013). "Review: A tough all-nighter in 'Barcelona'". WHYY. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  11. "Barcelona". Geffen Playhouse. 2016. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  12. McNulty, Charles (February 13, 2016). "Review: Bess Wohl's 'Barcelona' at the Geffen Playhouse misses its destination". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  13. "Barcelona". TheaterMania. 2016. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  14. "The 2016 Ovation Awards Winners Announced". @ This Stage. 2017-01-18. Retrieved 2026-05-30.
  15. American Theatre Editors (June 23, 2020). "Steppenwolf Announces 2020-21 'Reset' Season". American Theatre. Retrieved May 30, 2026. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  16. Gans, Andrew (October 21, 2024). "Lily Collins and Álvaro Morte Make West End Debuts in Bess Wohl's Barcelona Beginning October 21". Playbill. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  17. Arifa, Akbar (October 31, 2024). "Barcelona review – Lily Collins and Álvaro Morte strike sparks in spicy West End thriller". The Guardian. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  18. He, Yuxuan (November 4, 2024). "Barcelona at the Duke of York's Review: 'It doesn't just sightsee, but leaves a permanent mark'". The Strand Magazine. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  19. Curtis, Nick (October 31, 2024). "Barcelona at the Duke of York's Theatre review: Lily Collins makes a sensational stage debut". The Evening Standard. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  20. Titus, Tom (July 9, 2012). "Theater Review: 'Barcelona'". DC Theater Arts. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  21. Murphy, Bill (June 4, 2013). "'Barcelona' at People's Light: Americans abroad, again". Broad Street Review. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  22. "Barcelona". Geffen Playhouse. 2016. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  23. Gans, Andrew (October 21, 2024). "Lily Collins and Álvaro Morte Make West End Debuts in Bess Wohl's Barcelona Beginning October 21". Playbill. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  24. "The 2016 Ovation Awards Winners Announced". @ This Stage. 2017-01-18. Retrieved 2026-05-30.