Wolelibyśmy nie grać Bartleby’ego
We Would Prefer Not to Perform Bartleby is a theatrical experiment inspired by a process that never reached completion. The project was meant to be an adaptation of a short story by Herman Melville about a scrivener who “would prefer not to work,” but it gradually transformed into its real-life counterpart—actors and collaborators began withdrawing from the production, repeating Bartleby’s words: “I would prefer not to.”
From this situation, a new idea emerged: a performance about the impossibility of creating a performance, about burnout, resignation, and resistance to the logic of productivity. We Would Prefer Not to Perform Bartleby is a one-time event—a “non-performance” about an unfinished creative process, about the situation of “young” theatre makers in Spain, and the obsessions that haunt them.
The only performance took place on September 21, 2024. A recording of the event is available on YouTube.
On the other hand, what is extremely stimulating is the fact that it is impossible to know what is true and what is not, that everything may be invented while at the same time everything may be real. What is true in the reasons actors give for dropping out, for example?
How do we know they are not lying?
The performance becomes both a love song to theatre and to the people who work in it: the “mad ones,” who give themselves completely to a profession that does not allow them to make a living and forces them into uncertainty, with sporadic and interrupted work.
Finally, without the dramaturgy of Diego Baselga, nor the performance of Paula Mira.
With actors playing Paula and Diego: Alicia Arévalo and Íñigo Moro.
Without Hernán Romero, who was going to play Bartleby.
With a special appearance by Emilio Gavira as Ginger-Nut.
With last-minute lighting design by María Bianc.
With scenography by Angélique Cormier, although the audience had to finish it.
With animations by Nico, a Ukrainian friend.
With music by Vaz Oliver, and also a bit of Richard Strauss.
With a song by Manu Pico and José Luis Buzón.
With last-minute directing and dramaturgy advice from Carolina Ocaña.
With directing advice from Carlos Tuñón from a sofa in Poland.
With partial participation from Antía Lousada.
With the presence of the Schrödinger actress Alba Tesías.
With technical work handled by Raquel Moreno Puche.
With four Bartleby casting actors: Fran Bleu, Fabian Augusto, Jorge José López (who won the casting), and Rupert Lavant.
Riki Blanco did design the poster, although it took him five minutes.
Written in a fever state, performed with barely any rehearsal, and quasi-directed by Tomasz Borczyk.
The performance will be filmed by Federico Giaccaglia and Munkhtulga Jargalsaikhan.
A Noche de Camaleones and Marzanna Danecka production.
