AGAINST_THE_CITY

AGAINST THE CITY “The audience rediscover the city, full of installations which change their perception of what is daily and ordinary.

Using a map, they follow a route which is both critical and entertaining which reflects on the dehumanisation of society.” a project by ESTEVE SOLER + JORDI QUERALT

city. (...) The city is, first and foremost, the institutionalisation of heterogenious societies, the coexistance of strangers.

Josep Ramoneda.1

1

“Dictionary of cultural malaise�

4 - AGAINST THE CITY

INDEX

5

#INTRODUCTION

8-9

#CITY MAP

10

#NO NOISY ARTISTS. POLITICS ...

11

# WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF ...

12

#IF IT BENEFITS YOU, THEN IT’S ...

13

#IT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE TO ...

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#IT’S IMPORTANT THAT THEY’RE ...

15

#IN 1884 I WAS A FOUNDING ...

16

#WARS CREATE THE MARKET AND ...

17

#DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN THEY ...

18

#ISN’T MY VOTE USEFUL FOR …

19

#I DON’T LIKE HOW MUCH YOU ...

20

#SIGNS

21

#SEWERS

22-23

#PROGRESS

24-25

#HUMANITY

26-29

#DEMOCRACY

30-31

#BRICKED UP HOUSE

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#LOOK INSIDE

33

#QUAGMIRE

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#EXHIBITION

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#FREEDOM

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#COMUNICATION

37

#FUTURE

38

#ADVENTURE

39

#INTENTION

40

#PROPERTY

41

#LEGACY

42

#WEBSITE

43

#EPILOGUE

5 - AGAINST THE CITY

INTRODUCTION

Imagine that you arrive in the city and you find a sign with a red logo with 2 letter Cs joined up.... or perhaps it’s a mask ....

What does it mean?

Well, it represents everything related to ‘Against the city’, a collaboration between the architect Jordi Queralt and the dramatist Esteve Soler to make us reflect on how much our cities have become dehumanised.

This is exactly the subject of the 3 plays which we have taken as our basis. (Against progress, Against Love and Against Democracy). These 3 texts have been translated into 12 languages and brought to the stage by more than 50 directors around the world and have won prizes such as the Catalan Serra d’Or and the French Godot.

It is as if we had transposed these works from Arthur Miller territory to Banksy’s with the city streets becoming a stage for reflecting on our most cherished values and at the same time an entertaining, provocative place which stimulates the involvement of all who walk there.

Our audience become actors: outside in the street, in a thematic exhibition and most of all in a virtual world, with a website which is both accessible and participatory, which expands and becomes a space for sharing the experience, with a broad interconnection with social networks.

The following dossier details how the city is altered through a series of stage sets and becomes not a souless place to buy but a place for reflection and enjoyment. Because we do not want to be consumers but individuals.

#AGAINST THE CITY

And in what way does the action of ‘Against the city’ unfold’?

The experience of ‘Against the city’ can be separated into 3 different levels: Exterior: A series of scene changes which transform the street and which include signs, posters or important words written in large type. At the same time a map of the city itself which has been transformed helps us to place all these elements and see the place with new eyes.

Interior: An exhibition of murals, easily

adaptable to a museum space, and which makes us see our daily existence as if it was a distorting mirror just like Goya’s illustrations.

Virtual: A website which captures the preceding levels, relates them to the original plays in 12 different languages and broadens their philosophical scope through interesting, suitable links. Altogether maintaining a frenetic link through the social networks as the installations encourage the use of the hashtags on Twitter and Instagram.

18 19 20 21 22 23 24

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Precipici improvisat des del qual es fan sacrificis humans a “la utilitat”.

Improvised precipice from which human sacrifices to “usefulness” are made.

Carrer Del Mestre Martí, 19 Horari de 12h-14h i 18h-22h / Diumenge de 11h-14h i 17h a 20h

+ Exhibition “AGAINST THE CITY”. Excitement!

Panic! Smiles! Delve into the real city! Better than an amusement park! Experience modern times for which you are responsible!

Carrer del Mestre Martí, 19 Horari de 12h-14h i 18h-22h / Diumenge de 11h-14h i 17h a 20h

+ Exposició ‘CONTRA LA CIUTAT’. Emoció!

Pànic! Somriures! Posa’t en la pell de la veritable ciutat! Millor que un parc d’ atraccions! Experimenta els temps moderns dels quals ets responsable!

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Carrer d

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Santa tal l’Hospi

15

Carrer de l’Hospital, 9

“House dedicated to understanding the effects of religion on the human mind.

Subsequent admission.”

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BUS STATION Space specially dedicated to breaking up with your other half just before seeing them off. We give a (false) marriage contract to every three break-ups.

····· ·

At every forward signal, reflect for five minutes about whether we human beings have ever advanced.

A cada senyal d’ avançar reflexionar durant 5 minuts si algun cop ho hem fet això d’ avançar els éssers humans.

16

Hort del Barceloní

Plaça de l’Hort del Barceloní

“Quagmire. Area designated to training the new generations of bankers.”

“Fangar. Zona dedicada al training per a les noves generacions de banquers.”

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ESTACIÓ D’AUTOBUSOS Espai especialment reservat per a trencar amb la parella just abans de veure-la marxar.

Cada tres ruptures regalem un contracte de matrimoni (fals).

Plaça de les Nacions

ar ion s. luc so resolt er sola p s no n o nre ec eu s: Z ést aló i pr solv to ns. cab ues rea d loa Riu oteq A er: an hip riv ges Zones de conreus. Possibles aparicions d’ hty rtga éssers mutants radioactius com a Mig mo ved conseqüència de l’ agricultura “creativa”, “lliure” o “ curiosament ràpida”. Aviat obertura de restaurant de nouvelle cousine.

Crop growing area. Possible sprouting of radioactive mutant beings as a result of “creative”, “free” or “strangely fast” agriculture. Forthcoming opening of nouvelle cuisine restaurant.

Fon

Carrer del Migdia / Carrer de Sant Agustí

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Carrer de Sant Agustí / Plaça Sant Antoni

Looking inside: “Find out the answer to everything absolutely free. An installation that will give you the ultimate tool to change your perception of reality”.

Mira endins: “Descobreix la resposta a tot absolutament gratis. Una instal·lació que et donarà l’eina definitiva per canviar la teva percepció de la realitat”.

Plaça Major

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MO E D ers

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A scale of buildings: Spaces dedicated to neatly storing sentimental frustration or, in the worst-case scenarios, marriage or family frustration.

Escala d’ edificis: Espais dedicats a emmagatzemar ordenadament la frustració sentimental o, en el pitjor dels casos, matrimonial i familiar.

······················ ÀCIA ··

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”Visit our giant word PROGRESS in the city’s historic ruins”

Urgell

Carrer d’

Plaça dels Àlbers

er d

12

14

Plaça Major, 1 - Ajuntament de Tàrrega

“Visit our giant word DEMOCRACY in the City Hall. Possible completely unintentional mistake in its placement (okay, it is the other way round…)”

“Visita la nostra paraula gegant DEMOCRÀCIA a l’ Ajuntament de la ciutat.

Possible error totalment involuntari en la col·locació (d’ acord, ha quedat al revés...)”

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”Visita la nostra paraula gegant PROGRÉS a les ruïnes històriques de la ciutat”

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“Casa dedicada a comprendre les conseqüències de la religió en la ment humana.

Accés conseqüent.”

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AREA WHERE NAÏVE OR HONEST PEOPLE FREQUENTLY RUN OVER ONE ANOTHER Quote by the “most commercial or most effective philosopher” of the month of September: “There will be no traffic accidents in the future”.

ZONA D’ ATROPELLAMENT HABITUAL DE GENT INGÈNUA O HONESTA. Cita d’ ‘El filòsof més comercial’ o eficaç del mes de Setembre: “En el futur no hi haurà accidents de trànsit”.

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Vacant area designated to engaging in reflection on how politics does not generate corruption. Former Church of the Miracle of the Immaculate Conception.

Zona buida dedicada perquè les persones puguin pensar com la política no generi corrupció. Anterior Església del Miracle de la Puríssima concepció.

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dra sense nom e pe less stone deddedic rm ame ica ad ted no uge n

Quote by the most commercial or most effective philosopher of the month of September: “If you sacrifice the person that works the least in front of the entire staff...

1.You lose a bad employee and 2. It is a major boost to the other staff’s motivation!”

ol o heroi de la c u íd r hero of the ciutat. no dol o ity E el ew i H

Cita d’ El filòsof més comercial o eficaç del mes de Setembre: “Si la persona que treballa menys la fas sacrificar davant de tota la plantilla...

1. Perds un mal treballador i 2. La motivació dels altres millora moltíssim!”

············· · · · · · RÉS···· · · ·····

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“There is nothing here. Well, nothing that could interest you…”

Quote by the most commercial or most effective philosopher of the month of September: “Curiosity killed the cat. And your cousin, who was a labour lawyer.”

(FAR) WEST

ZONA DEDICADA A FUTURES FÀBRIQUES DESLOCALITZADES/AREA DESIGNATED TO FUTURE DELOCALISED FACTORIES

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20:25:57

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··· · · · ···· rM

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30/7/13

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“Aquí no hi ha res. Res que et pugui interessar, vaja...”

Cita d’ El filòsof més comercial o eficaç del mes de Setembre: “La curiositat va matar el gat. I el teu cosí, que era advocat laboralista.”

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l o heroi de la ciu u ído l no city’s new idol or h tat. E ero a a o the

patrocinadors uen p usq rs are sought to beer se s b ponso th r

103_CONTRA_GRAFICA_12_impremta.pdf

CONTRA LA CIUTAT - AGAINST THE CITY

Espai físic a visitar

Número de referència la web.

“Tot el que et beneficia a tu és progrés. Si beneficia a algú altre, doncs no.”

“If it benefits you, then it’s progress, if it doesn’t, then it isn’t.“ “L’ any 1884 els principals països del món estaven implicats en la societat internacional per a la supressió internacional dels costums salvatges. Encara existeix.

Ara li dieu onu.”

“In 1884 i was a founding member of the international society for the international abolition of savage traditions. It still exists. Now it’s called the un.”

“Les guerres creen el mercat i el mercat crea les guerres. I la guerra mana.”

“Wars create the market and the market creates wars. And war is the boss.”

“Recorden quan van eliminar les escoles per fer-nos més lliures?”

“Do you remember when they got rid of schools to make us freer?”

“Res d’ artistes cridaners. La política en l’ art ha d’ estar constantment passada de moda.”

“No noisy artists. Politics in art must be always old-fashioned.”

“Què passaria si volguessin solucionar la fam del món? Però de debò?”

“What would happen if they became obsessed with the problem of solving the world famine problema?” “És important que estiguin distrets, que riguin a totes hores, que els faci mandra parlar dels temes importants i decisius.”

“It’s important that they’re en- tertained, that they’re laughing all the time, that they can’t be bothered to talk about impor- tant, decisive topics.”

“Què es pensen? Que el meu vot no serveix per a res? Ja veuran ja quan tornin a venir eleccions...”

“Isn’t my vote useful for something? They’ll see when election time co- mes around again...”

“No m’agrada que t’ho passis bé mentint-me.”

“I don’t like how much you like lying to me.”

“No té cap sentit estimar algú a qui exigeixes que t’estimi a canvi.”

“It doesn’t make sense to love someone if you insist on them loving you back.”

MAPA - GUIA DE LA CIUTAT

ust í

Clara

Avinguda de l’11 de setembre

by ESTEVE SOLER + JORDI QUERALT

WWW.CONTRALACIUTAT.COM #AGAINSTTHECITY

Coneix la ciutat invisible que et passaria de llarg si no fos per aquest mapa. La ciutat que ha oblidat que dins hi viuen persones. Tu mateix pots seguir la teva pròpia ruta turística i tenir un calfred o fer una riallada amb els múltiples dispositius del projecte ‘Contra la ciutat’!

CONTRA LA CIUTAT

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MAP - CITY GUIDE

Preu: 3e / Price: 3e (inclou accés a l’Exposició) (includes admission to exhibition space)

WWW.AGAINSTTHECITY.COM

Become acquainted with the invisible city that would pass you by if it were not for this map. The city that has forgotten that people live within its space. You can follow your own tourist trail and get shivers down your spine or laugh heartily with the many devices in the project “Against the City!”.

AGAINST THE CITY

Petit estany del Riu Ondara

“Visit our giant word HUMANITY and meet the city’s famous ducks”

“Visita la nostra paraula gegant HUMANITAT i coneix els il·lustres ànecs de la ciutat.”

AGRAÏMENTS / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Ajuntament de Tàrrega, Albert Bosch, Neus Banqué, Brigada Municipal de Tàrrega, Cartaes Tàrrega, Centre de Formació La Solana, Equip de Fira Tàrrega, Taller Estampa, Museu Municipal de Tàrrega, Recooperar, Carles Sora, Sergio Vega.

Roc Albalat, Pau Artigas, Mike Buck, Rosa Carbonell, Toni Corbella, Ricard Grau, Laura Marín, Enric Masip, Anna Nadal, Marcel Pié, Subtil, Totsafara, Ànecs del Riu Ondara.

EQUIP / TEAM Esteve Soler + Jordi Queralt

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09

08

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05 06

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03

02

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CARTELLS A LA CIUTAT / POSTERS ON THE CITY

...

LLEGENDA / LEGEND

LINK TO THE WEBSITE: WWW.AGAINSTTHECITY.COM ALL THIS LIVE, THE PLAYS IT HAS INSPIRED, AND MUCH MORE… JUST A CLICK AWAY!

LINK AMB EL WEB: WWW.CONTRALACIUTAT.COM TOT AIXÒ, EN DIRECTE, LES OBRES DE TEATRE QUE HO HAN INSPIRAT, I MOLT MÉS... A UN CLICK DE DISTÀNCIA!

8 - AGAINST THE CITY

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9 - AGAINST THE CITY

#CITY MAP

You meet people in the street who are using a strange map. They laugh and point out things. They chat and argue.

In order that the dehumanising element which is present in the city comes to the surface, it will be necessary to look at it with new eyes. These will be the ones which look up after studying our map, an instrument for turning the place upside down, for reinterpreting what is built, for treading for the first time the streets which we see every day of our lives. All that using an entertaining, challenging map which leads to another way of understanding reality. In this way, the audience can visit all the installations with a map which helps them not to miss the slightest detail. The reverse side of the map will also include phrases related to the texts, like those that will be hung up in the

street and this will mean that the map-user becomes a spreader of the message too.

One of the great virtues of the literary material which is the basis of ‘Against the city’ is the philosophical power of some of its sentences and replies. When the audience walk through the streets, they will not be able to ignore the messages which reach them and which force them to stop and think about them, changing the rhythm of their daily life. Phrases like ‘In today’s world everybody knows that life is not worth it’ placed in the streets, as if they were just another advertising hoarding, aim to create a change. At the same time, the phrases are presented in a format and style which makes them obviously different from other commercial advertising, a clear dramatic device to attract the passer-by’s attention.

10 - AGAINST THE CITY

#NO NOISY ARTISTS. POLITICS IN ART MUST BE ALWAYS OLD-FASHIONED

“Y – Anybody or anything which causes ideas to get confused and makes other people think must be immediately isolated and marked out as wrong.

X – Independent thinking: forbidden, or even better, forgotten. No noisy artists. Politics in art must be always old-fashioned.

Y – The only criticisms that will be accepted are those which are so cryptic and subtle that nobody understands them.”1 1

Against democracy. Scene 2

11 - AGAINST THE CITY

# WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THEY BECAME OBSESSED WITH THE PRO BLEM OF SOLVING THE WORLD FAMINE PROBLEMA?

“X – What would happen if they became obsessed with the problem of solving the world famine problema? But really doing it? They would cause a financial crisis which would make us lose ground with respect to our competitors.

Y – Anybody or anything which causes ideas to get confused and makes other people think must be immediately isolated and marked out as wrong.”1 1

Against democracy. Scene 2

12 - AGAINST THE CITY

#IF IT BENEFITS YOU, THEN IT’S PROGRESS, IF IT DOESN’T, THEN IT ISN’T

“Leopold – Don’t forget that with the uranium that we mined in the Congo you were able to make the bombs which you used to destroy Japan.

Dick – I know, I know… Progress can’t be stopped.

Leopold – This word always confuses me.

Dick – Which one?

Leopold – Progress.

Dick – If it benefits you, then it’s progress, if it doesn’t, then it isn’t.”1 1

Against democracy. Scene 7.

13 - AGAINST THE CITY

#IT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE TO LOVE SOME ONE IF YOU INSIST ON THEM LOVING YOU BACK

GIRL: I don’t know anything! All I know is that I love you and it doesn’t mean anything if you don’t love me back!

She hugs him tearfully. Pause. Unmoved, he separates himself from her.

BOY: It doesn’t make sense to love someone if you insist on them loving you back.

GIRL: You’re an idiot. And ungrateful to boot.

BOY: You’re not listening to me. They’ve cheapened love.

They don’t teach us anything about controlling our emotions because they want us to depend on them. Can’t you see that the way they make us live doesn’t have anything to do with love?

GIRL: What good does it do me to listen to you? You think you’re going to accomplish anything other than making a mess of your life?

He picks up the box of pills.

BOY: Taking one of these isn’t the same as being alive.

GIRL: Taking one of these makes being alive better. And that’s how I want to live.

BOY: Then I don’t want to live with you.1

1

Against love. Scene 4.

14 - AGAINST THE CITY

#IT’S IMPORTANT T H AT T H E Y ’ R E E N T E R TA I N E D , T H AT T H E Y ’ R E L AU GHING A L L THE TIME, THAT THE Y C AN’ T BE BOTHERED TO TALK ABOUT IMPORTANT, DECISIVE TOPICS

Y – And what have the new citizens got to be like? (…)

X – Without any desire to think…

Y – They must like football… It always works, but I don’t know if it has already been used too much to manipulate and it’s too obvious…

X – It’s important that they’re entertained, that they’re laughing all the time, that they can’t be bothered to talk about important, decisive topics.”1 1

Against democracy. Scene 2

15 - AGAINST THE CITY

#IN 1884 I WAS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE INTERNATIONAL ABOLITION OF SAVAGE TRADITIONS. IT STILL EXISTS. NOW IT’S CALLED THE UN

“Leopold – Of course! They have no ideas about how to rule themselves! For example, what will they do with their natural resources?

Oil, rubber… They’d waste it Dick – The resources have to be in the hands of those who know how to manage them.

Leopold – Exactly, in 1884 I was a founding member of the International Society for the international abolition of savage traditions. All the main countries in the world were involved.

Dick – Perhaps we should take that up again now.

Leopold – It still exists. Now it’s called the UN.”1 1

Against democracy. Scene 7

16 - AGAINST THE CITY

#WA R S CRE AT E THE MARKET AND THE MARKET CREATES WARS. AND WAR IS THE BOSS

Y – And what have the new citizens got to be like? (…)

X – Without any desire to think…

Y – They must like football… It always works, but I don’t know if it has already been used too much to manipulate and it’s too obvious…

X – It’s important that they’re entertained, that they’re laughing all the time, that they can’t be bothered to talk about important, decisive topics.”1 1

Against democracy. Scene 2

17 - AGAINST THE CITY

#D O YO U REMEMBER WHEN T H E Y G OT R I D OF SCHOOLS TO MAKE US FREER?

“Man – I’ve been thinking that… I don’t know, but I believe that…

Woman neighbour – Go on, tell me… I’m interested…

Man – It could be that… It’s only a hypothesis, but… It could be a conspiracy.

Woman neighbour – Whose?

Man – Do you remember when they got rid of schools to make us freer?

Woman neighbour – Yes. Man – Some teachers, a few, remained alive.

Woman neighbour – Of course… He’s right…”1 1

Against democracy. Scene 3

18 - AGAINST THE CITY

#ISN’T MY VOTE USEFUL FOR SOMETHING? THEY’LL SEE WHEN ELECTION TIME COMES AROUND AGAIN…

“The stage remains full of cobwebs. From them hang a couple, Husband and Wife, wrapped up inside a pair of cocoons, which have been produced by a large spider. The cocoon only allows you to see their face and doesn’t give them the slightest freedom of movement, not even enough for them to move their head so that they can see each other. The wife is pregnant. Pause.(…)

Husband – Isn’t my vote useful for something?

They’ll see when election time comes around again…

Wife – This time they won’t find it so easy Husband – Our votes are useful for something… You know what happens if we don’t go through with the ritual of putting our vote in the ballot box, don’t you? What do they think? That we don’t know how to do it? That we can’t take this action?

Wife – They should think about it…”1 1

Against democracy. Scene 1

19 - AGAINST THE CITY

#I D O N ’ T L I K E HOW MUCH YOU LIKE LYING TO ME

“MR: I don’t like how much you like lying to me.

MRS: I don’t like how you never notice all the things I don’t tell you.

MR: I don’t like it when you dress sexy, way too sexy.

MRS: I don’t like it when your clothes make you look fat.

MR: I don’t like the way the way you think all women fake their orgasms.

MRS: I don’t the fact that you don’t understand why women have to fake their orgasms.

Their dialogue reaches an orgasmic pitch.”1 1

Against love. Scene 6

20 - AGAINST THE CITY

We are so accustomed to following signs, they form such a large part of our way of moving around, that subverting their code to make us realise how contradictory our lives are has a fascinating effect. Apart from ordinary street signs, specific streets will have signs that make us stop and think about their meaning, always with this idea of showing the increasing dehumanisation of society.

A sign which reminds us of the dangers of Memory or another encouraging us to never give up our consumer habits are trying to change common forms of behaviour.

#SIGNS “Night. A man lies in the middle of a road, moaning. He’s just been run over by a streetcar and is seriously injured and confused. Enter a young woman who checks him over. She is wearing a classically styled, even slightly old-fashioned dress and is carrying a handbag. Long pause.

INJURED MAN: Call an ambulance. Please.

GIRL stands there looking at him and does nothing.

INJURED MAN: An ambulance.

Pause.

INJURED MAN: Call an ambulance. I need to get to a hospital.

GIRL approaches. Long pause.

INJURED MAN: I need to get to…

GIRL: Relax, it looks serious.

INJURED MAN stares at her, confused.

INJURED MAN: I need to…

GIRL: I mean, really serious. Just relax.

GIRL comes closer to INJURED MAN and caresses him in an attempt to comfort him.

INJURED MAN: What do you mean, relax?

GIRL: That there’s no way you’re getting out of this alive.1

1

Against progress. Scene 2

21 - AGAINST THE CITY

Do we have access to the third world closer than we think? Perhaps we do. A simple sign painted on the ground can turn the metal disc of a drain cover into a (false) door which gives us access to worlds as frightening as they are close.

#SEWERS “MAN flips through channels with remote while WOMAN doesn’t even look at him.

WOMAN: Right.

MAN: It’s not like before. When there weren’t so many channels, but there was always something on, now it just seems like...

Suddenly, there is a channel that can’t be changed. It is a space showing images of the third world, starving children to be exact. The image slows to a halt.

MAN: It just seems like...like...

MAN anxiously tries to change the channel.

MAN: Just what we needed.

He stands and hits the TV set. WOMAN doesn’t move.

MAN: Damned TV. MAN sits again and checks to see if the batteries in the remote are OK. Meanwhile, one of the children from the space comes out from under the table and sits next to it, in front of the TV. MAN raises his head and looks at him.

MAN taps his wife; SHE doesn’t acknowledge him. HE taps her again. SHE looks at MAN, who indicates the presence of the child, then looks at the child, perplexed. Slowly, MAN picks up the remote, tries to decide which button to push, and aims the remote at the boy. HE tries to change the channel repeatedly, but cannot. WOMAN grabs the remote and also tries, unsuccessfully, to change the channel. They look at each other, astonished.”1

1

Against progress. Scene 1

22 - AGAINST THE CITY

#PROGRESS

Enormous words with degrading and degraded materials will have an important presence in the city. ‘Progress’, the word and the idea which is behind the text ‘Against progress’ has particular importance.

Is there any difference between economic progress and human progress? For us there is. But often there does not seem to be for politicians and the media. P.R.O.G.R.E.S.S will feature prominently in a privileged perspective of the city and the time and weather will take care of settling the accounts, damaging its appearance and bringing it closer to the meaning that we believe it deserves.

23 - AGAINST THE CITY

“A man enters the kitchen of his home with a bag full of oranges. He is not heavily dressed.

Suddenly, he notices a gigantic apple in the dining room occupying practically the entire space. Afraid, he cries out.

FATHER: Mother!

He looks at the apple again, astonished.

FATHER: Mother! Come quick!

He calls to a woman, his better half, the same age as he.

MOTHER (off-stage): What is it? I’m getting dressed. You already…

Enter the woman into the kitchen in a state of half-dress.

MOTHER: My god! What is that?

FATHER: It’s an apple.”1 1

Against progress. Scene 4

24 - AGAINST THE CITY

#HUMANITY

One of the main ideas of the 3 basic texts and of ‘Against the city’ is the gradual but continual process of dehumanisation. This word could not be missing from our destruction of words and who better to demonstrate it than animals. Letters done with birdseed, causing the resident bird population to visit the word in order to feed and so involuntarily eliminate the word, which will be seen as gradually losing its solidity and cohesion.

25 - AGAINST THE CITY

ASTRONAUT “1: The simplicity of the landscape. I could sit here staring at it for the rest of my life. So clean, so perfect. An immense orange desert with gradations of red and nothing else. Simple, like the palm of a hand. Nothing to disturb it, nothing to sully it, nothing. No one to interfere. Not a footprint, no rusted sign. No plastic bag flying about for no reason.

Pause.

ASTRONAUT 1: I could care less that no one’s left on Earth.

I don’t give a shit not having a clue about what happened to everyone. And I don’t give a damn that you and I are the only ones left. I don’t give a damn. I don’t give a damn because this purity is going to outlast us. This desert will outlast us. The sand dunes that seem to shift in secret will still be here when you and I aren’t.

ASTRONAUT 2: What if you’re wrong about that?

ASTRONAUT 1: About what?

ASTRONAUT 2: What if, when you and I disappear, the sand dunes disappear with us> ASTRONAUT 1: Are you joking?

ASTRONAUT 2: What if the world wants to be observed? If reality wants someone to see this simplicity?”1

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Against love. Scene 5

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#DEMOCRACY

Few words have been repeated so insistently as democracy in our contemporary world. Ordinary people have demanded that democracy is real, that it is present in the street and that it be possible to come face to face with it, putting it in doubt if necessary. The facade of the town hall is occupied by the word ‘Democracy’ written in large letters of a metallic appearance, reflecting the faces of those individuals who go near it. But one of the attractions of the installation will lie in the way the word revolves, an action loaded with meaning, turning its back temporarily on those who try to see it.

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“The spider leaves the half-eaten Husband. The spider comes close to the Wife.

Wife – I’d like a glass of water. Please.

The spider begins to gnaw Wife’s leg.

Wife – Nice and cool.

A brief pause.

Wife – From the fridge.

A brief pause.

Wife – I deserve it. Don’t you think?

Pause.

Wife – From here I can see the street and I can see what the city’s like, full of everything which surrounds us. The streets are all joined up. The city is no longer ours, perhaps it never has been. But one day you’ll know how to sort it out. You’ll change things.

The spider stops, leaving Wife with her leg gnawed away, almost to the bone.

Wife – You’ll be the future. The future will be better.

Wife loses consciousness. Pause. The spider gets closer to the audience.”1

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Against democracy. Scene 1

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#BRICKED UP HOUSE

Facades are like faces with eyes, a nose, a mouth .... For us they are metaphors of what we allow to be seen of ourselves and of what we express of our deepest inner self. Religion has always had a role in this and covering up any opening in a facade by means of holy books is not a gratuitous gesture, either, and clearly linked to several of the original texts of the plays.

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“Farah comes on to the stage, dressed in a burka, the Muslim garment which covers the body completely. Farah is a woman of about 45 who speaks in Arabic while her neighbour Josep, who is in the audience, translates her words for the rest of the audience. “I believe in democracy.”1 1

Against democracy. Scene 6

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What is inside us? What is inside others?

The opportunity and the curiosity of knowing these answers will be offered to the passer-by who approaches a keyhole which is specially designed to be observed and show an image as surprising as it is revealing. We are the answer to everything and we still don`t know it.

#LOOK INSIDE

“The history of these creatures is very sad. You familiar with it? These poor animals thought they were above all the other species, that their intelligence made them superior…But what is intelligence? You tell me. Know a little algebra?

Recognize symmetry? Is that intelligence? And that’s what made them think they were better than us. They believed that intelligence made them free from nature and that over time it would keep them from suffering as human beings. That they wouldn’t have to be human.

They thought that if they kept progressing technologically, art and magic would fix everything and take care of injustice and poverty, it was just a matter of time. That it had nothing to do with the fact that they were human.

He laughs”.1 1

Against progress. Scene 7

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#QUAGMIRE

“A middle-aged couple dressed to the nines.

They are submerged up to their necks in a slimy and degrading substance reminiscent of quicksand, which restricts all movement. It might even be said that they are up to their necks in shit, but shit of an unknown, perhaps infinite, depth. All we can see are their heads and her hand as she cleans one of his ears with a cotton swab.�1 1

Against love. Scene 6

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#EXHIBITION

We live in a world of contradictions but often we are too involved in it for us to realise. The main part of ‘Against the city’ takes place in a museum space. It is made up of a series of murals which, just like those that we can find in amusement arcades and other such places, allows us to take photographs of ourselves using holes like false actors. But behind each mural there is another which is totally contradictory. In this way for example, while one of

them shows a boy who is buying the latest, most sophisticated model of mobile phone behind it there is a workshop where young children are making this same mobile phone in the worst possible conditions. In 7 contrasting situations (Communication, Future, Adventure, Freedom, Intention, Property, Legacy) the audience will be faced by their own sensations as well as painfully alienating ones. A graphic creation of the Taller Estampa which brings

us closer to our most critical subconscious by means of some eloqüent drawings in black and white. Visitors will find themselves in a dark but suitably illuminated space so that it is a unique, unrepeatable experience. We are speaking therefore of achieving a unique, revelatory impact through a theatrical action where the visitors are at one and the same time actors and audience, which also takes on the characteristics of an artistic object.

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#FREEDOM

“You have to think that the Burka is part of my culture and that it doesn’t cause me or my daughter any problem. In no way do we feel we are the victims of this article of clothing.

Do you feel you are in some way the victims of the mortgage on your home, when in fact the land should belong to everybody? Or do you feel insulted by the victims of car accidents?

Speeding on the road is much more irresponsible than dressing up in the clothes I wear. If you want to go on living in a fair society ”, or rather “which seems fair“ she means, “where everybody can do what they want, you have to let us dress like this or as we wish. If you want to live in a fairer society, do away with private transport or make sure everybody has a place to live, but don’t bother three or four people who don’t pose any kind of threat for you. ” 1

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Against democracy. Scene 5

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#COMMUNICATION

“MAN begins to approach boy, then stops and turns to address WOMAN. MAN: What if…

WOMAN: Not another word until it’s been taken care of!

WOMAN exits, slamming the door.

MAN looks at boy and at the garbage bag. ”1

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Against progress. Scene 1

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#FUTURE

“A faraway planet. An astronaut is seated in silence in a rudimentary chair. He wears a heavy suit and a helmet with an opaque visor so that we cannot see inside. Next to him is a machine of some kind, in partial stages of completion, which seems to have had some sort of communicative function. Short pause.

We hear his voice, masculine and mature, filtered through an intercom.

ASTRONAUT 1: I don’t know, really, and I don’t give a fuck.”1

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Against love. Scene 5

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#ADVENTURE

“Leopold – Now they can vote for one of their own people to represent them.

Dick – Provided that this person does exactly what we want.

Leopold – Of course! They have no ideas about how to rule themselves! For example, what will they do with their natural resources? Oil, rubber… They’d waste it.

Dick – The resources have to be in the hands of those who know how to manage them.”1

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Against democracy. Scene 7

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#INTENTION

“MOTHER: I don’t know…but…I’m just so tired of…

FATHER: Of what?

MOTHER: Of having it all.

FATHER: “Having it all?” What does that mean?1

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Against progress. Scene 4

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#PROPERTY

“FRIEND 1: People don’t have the time to wonder about the meaning of life because they have to work, but they still want someone else in the world to know that there is a meaning to life. And that someone is me.

FRIEND 2: So what’s the meaning of life?

FRIEND 1: I can’t believe you don’t know the meaning of life. I thought you majored in business.”1

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Against progress. Scene 3

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#LEGACY

“Mother – We just want to talk to you for a little while.

Boy – Can’t you wait until tomorrow morning?

Father – It’s got to be now Xavi. Don’t be such a sleepyhead.

Mother – We’ve wanted to tell you this for a long time.

Father – We’ve been thinking about it for a long while and …

Mother – We’ve been good to you, haven’t we?”1

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Against democracy. Scene 6

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#WEB

WWW.AGAINSTTHECITY.COM

But, both in the middle of the street and when you arrive home, you want to enlarge everthing that you are seeing. What do you do? The map has a QR code. The posters have a reference with an electronic address.

One of our ideas consists of the audience taking away some homework when they leave. Anyone who wants to will be able to have access to the virtual version of ‘Against the city’, where we will not only be able to see what is happening in the street but we will also be able to enlarge the experiences which are taking place there. Each tiny moment of ‘Against the city’ is born from the theatrical trilogy and from the 21 scenes of which it is comprised. Once they get home or from thestreet itself the audience will be able to go to the website WWW.CONTRALACIUTAT.COM - WWW.AGAINSTTHECITY.COM and ...

1, Relive in 12 different languages the emotions they have experienced and submerge

themselves in a very special world through breathtaking, fascinating stories.

2. Observe what is happening in the street, at the festival, with the latest photos and videos about ‘Against the city’., as well as people’s opinions expressed through social networks especially Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

3. On a third complementary level, anyone interested who goes to the website will be able to find out more about the installations and plays through all kinds of different materials such as articles by respected philosophers, videos of documentaries or relevant illustrations.

All of this by means of a fast, efficient design which makes people’s impressions more dynamic as well as increasing the desire to know more about ‘Against the city’ and to share the experience with other members of the audience from the festival or just with people who go to the website.

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What does ‘Against the city’ contribute to the city?

In ‘Against the city’ we are trying to make ordinary people see the streets which they walk daily in a new way, so that they are reacquainted with their everyday existence. To achieve this there are 3 essential concepts.

#EPILOGUE

Esteve Soler is a catalan playwright who trained at Barcelona’s Institut del Teatre and at the Sala Beckett, where he gives classes on playwriting. Since 2008, the trilogy formed by his works Against progress, Against love and Against democracy has been translated into twelve languages (English, French, German, Spanish, Greek, Italian, Danish, Rumanian, Czech, Hungarian, Russian and Croatian), while more than 50 directors have offered their own interpretations of the works in countries such as England, Germany, the United States, France, Romania, Switzerland, Austria, Greece, Venezuela, Chile... He has formed part of the official sections of the Theatertreffen and Literaturfestival festivals, both held in Berlin, and of the French festival La Mousson d’Été (twice).

Some of his other works have premiered at the Teatre Nacional de Catalunya and the Teatre Lliure. Against Democracy was awarded the Serra d’Or prize to the best play of the year and Against progress wins the french Godot prize also to the best play of the year.

Jordi Queralt is a catalan architect and artist who trained in Architecture University and Fine Arts University, combines architecture teaching and the development of spatial and performative projects that dialogue between architecture and visual arts.

He has made different installations and scenographies where the interaction between the user and the space creates new situations that questions the existing reality: ”L’escala” (2013) in Arts Santa Mònica of Barcelona, “Bring the ice” (2012) FiraTàrrega, “L’instant” (2012) Girona Museum, “Tàcata” (2009) Casa Orlandai, “Cadavre Exquis” (2007) in CCCB of Barcelona and “Premi d’Honor de les Lletres Catalanes” (2005-2013) in Palau de la Música Catalana among others. www.queraltsuau.com

Team Esteve Soler + Jordi Queralt Taller Estampa, Roc Albalat, Pau Artigas, Mike Buck, Rosa Carbonell, Toni Corbella, Ricard Grau, Laura Marín, Anna Nadal, Marcel Pié, Totsafara.

-The poetic nature of the installations: All the levels of ‘Against the city’ (exterior, interior and virtual) are derived from the literary context of the texts and interact with reality in a creative, artistic way. For example, the meaning of the word ‘progress’ is brought vividly to life by placing it next to piles of nearby rubble or the posters with the phrases exorcise the advertising material with which we are bombarded and are filled with profound meaning . The street, literally, comes back to life.

-Integration into the city: Each time there is a production of ‘Against the city’ in a different place, it acquires some new characteristics. This occurs through the presence of new elements and because the creators of ‘Against the city’ will adapt each element of the production to the appearance and history of the place. The city recognises itself.

-The lasting nature of the experience: Once the performance days of ‘Against the city’ have finished, the place becomes part of the history of the show through the mark that it leaves on the social networks and the website, which collects everything which has taken place and revitalises it with new content. However, beyond that, the real legacy lies in what ordinary people think about it afterwards, that they take home with them a series of seeds ready and waiting to grow inside them. Ordinary people are reborn.

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“In today’s world, people understand life isn’t profitable” 1

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Against progress. Scene 3