Four Plays Highlight Italian-Catalan Cultural Exchange
The 7th edition of the InScena Festival di Teatro Italiano di Barcellona is underway, presenting four performances by Italian theatre companies at Teatre Golem’s in Gràcia from Wednesday 4th to Sunday 8th November 2026. The festival aims to strengthen cultural ties between Italy and Catalonia through contemporary theatre, with bilingual performances and shared themes encouraging dialogue between audiences and artists. Sandro Dieli, festival director, emphasised the importance of connection:
They always try to connect with Catalan and Catalan culture.
Events include talks at language schools and collaborations with other Italian cultural festivals in the city, such as the Festival de Literatura Italiana and the Mostra de Cinema Italià.
Varied Programme Explores Music, Memory and Power
The festival opened on Wednesday 4th November at 8.30pm with Mister Volare, a theatrical and musical tribute to Domenico Modugno created and performed by Cocò Gulotta, accompanied by Al Di Rosa on guitar. The show celebrates the legacy of the iconic song Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu. On Friday 6th November at 7pm, Toska takes the stage, a fantastical story directed by Joan Kellam, starring Ilaria Weiss and Fabio Manniti. Set in a city divided by a wall, the play explores isolation and the unknown. Saturday 7th November at 7pm marks a centenary tribute to Nobel laureate Dario Fo (1926–2016) with Pareja abierta, quasi spalancata, written by Fo and Franca Rame. Directed by Sandro Dieli and Miquel Codina, and starring Dieli and Esther Lozano, the ironic comedy examines marital conflict amid infidelity. Mattea Fo, director of the Fondazione Dario Fo e Franca Rame and the writer’s niece, will attend the performance. The festival concludes on Sunday 8th November at 5pm with Il Generale - Roatta Mario by Roberto Melchiorre. Edoardo Oliva directs and performs this monologue portraying General Mario Roatta fleeing imprisonment in 1945, reflecting on power, obedience and propaganda. The production is by Teatro Immediato of Pescara, returning to Barcelona after their 2025 success with Caprò.
Teatre Golem’s Remains Key Cultural Partner
Teatre Golem’s, located at Carrer Sant Lluís 64, has hosted InScena since its first edition. The venue provides full programming autonomy and shares ticket revenue, a partnership Dieli describes as essential to the festival’s survival. The space also hosts events from other Italian cultural festivals this season, including activities at the Le Nuvole bookstore. Audiences from across Barcelona are invited to attend. Admission is paid, with prices not specified by the organisers. Further details and the full schedule are available via Arts Barcelona.
Sources: L'independent de Gràcia, artsbarcelona.com, oziomagazine.blog, amiccultura.cat.
