Spanish actress Irene Escolar is returning to Madrid's Teatro Español stage to star in a revival of Duncan Macmillan's play Personas, lugares y cosas.
The production, directed by Pablo Messiez, will run at the historic venue from September 19 to October 18. Escolar leads the cast after previously starring in the show's initial run last year, which earned critical acclaim and an award from Spain's Actors Union.
In the play, Escolar interprets Emma, an actress struggling with drug addiction who enters a rehabilitation center. To prepare for the role, the 2016 Goya Award winner attended group therapy sessions, immersing herself in real testimonies and personal dramas that she incorporated into her stage performance.
Preparation and returning to the role
Escolar explained that returning to the production for a second run has allowed her to approach the work with much greater relaxation. She recalled experiencing intense stress, nerves, and an overwhelming burden of responsibility ahead of last year's premiere due to her dual role as lead performer and member of the production team.
The actress noted that the gap between performance seasons allowed her to re-examine the text with fresh perspective. Comparing the process to a novelist who steps away from a manuscript before revising it, she stated that creative projects benefit significantly from time to let the material settle.
Escolar added that watching video recordings of her previous rehearsals helped her identify specific elements to refine. While describing self observation as a challenging exercise that requires emotional detachment, she emphasized that adjusting details from a relaxed state allowed her to achieve nuances that stress had previously blocked.
Physical demands and portrayal of addiction
Addressing the difficulty of depicting extreme emotional states on stage, Escolar credited director Pablo Messiez with serving as an essential safeguard and guide. She noted that her character remains heavily intoxicated throughout the first part of the play under the influence of cocaine, speed, benzodiazepines, and alcohol.
Escolar explained that depicting such an intense cocktail of substances required a process of trial and error to ensure the performance felt authentic without becoming overacted. She stated that Messiez helped her navigate physical choices, test energy levels over two and a half hours, and push past her usual acting routines.
Escolar shared that attending therapy groups provided vital perspective and constituted one of the most meaningful experiences of her career. Although she joked that even a single glass of wine leaves her half drunk, she said the intense intimacy of listening to real people discuss their struggles provided memories and stories that resurface during her stage performances.
Acting dynasty and alternative career paths
Coming from a prominent Spanish acting dynasty, Escolar acknowledged that entering the performing arts felt almost inevitable given the fascinating environment of her childhood, despite her father not pursuing acting. However, she observed that working in the field gradually revealed the dark sides and challenges of the profession.
Escolar revealed that had she not pursued acting, she might have considered a career as a diplomat or in psychology. She explained that diplomacy shares key parallels with acting, including exploring diverse cultures, traveling, and creating meaningful connections with people from varied backgrounds.
Comparing film and theatre, Escolar described stage acting as an unmanipulated medium where performers share live experiences directly with the audience without the safety net of film editing. While expressing deep affection for cinema and noting her acclaimed role in Lara Izagirre's film Un otoño sin Berlín, she described theatre as a unique and higher risk form of expression.
Professional luck and artistic passion
Reflecting on her career after winning the Goya Award for Best New Actress in 2016, Escolar emphasized that luck plays a major role in an industry marked by high unemployment and intense competition. She noted that talent alone is insufficient without continuous hard work and mental resilience, as actors often feel they must start from scratch with every project.
Concluding her comments on artistic motivation, Escolar affirmed that she possesses a strong internal fire. She referenced poet Federico García Lorca's description of gypsy duende as a flame rising from feet to head, describing that inner drive as essential for sustaining a creative career.
