A provocative arrival in Barcelona
DÄMON, the work by Angélica Liddell, made its entry into the Barcelona Grec Festival surrounded by controversy after its presentation in Avignon. During her inauguration at the Palau dels Papes, the artist launched a harsh criticism towards the commentators who, in her words, attack and belittle her. This intervention was followed by a formal accusation of public insults. After witnessing the performance at the Teatre Lliure, it can be said that Liddell quickly addresses her communication with critics in the first moments of the performance. It is perceived that her speech seeks more to deactivate prejudices than to provoke current discontent, especially given that some have labeled her as repetitive and egotistical. In her own words, she “Then vomits upon the audience the hour of the fierce homily.”
The silence on local criticism
In the Barcelona representation, Liddell maintains the emphasis on certain French critics but seems to ignore criticism of Catalan and Spanish origin. With the intention of reaffirming his position, he projects words that show his rejection of any attempt to restrict artistic freedom: “Is art a matter for the police?” It is evident that, above his petty vendettas, his animosity towards the banality and lack of scruples of some journalists translates into a tribute to the famous Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman, who also had his disagreements with critics and whose response to his detractors was wishing them an eternity in hell. In this sense, Liddell notes that critics may be ephemeral, but Bergman’s legacy endures.
Liddell Power
The figure of Angélica Liddell, although marked by her personal tragedies, manifests itself strongly thanks to a provocative language that has reached significant heights in her previous works. On this occasion, her stage energy stands out through the intense inflections she uses, underlining the essence of the grotesque to connect with the audience. The play takes place on a stage covered in a deep red tone, evoking the themes present in ‘Crits i murmuris’ and symbolizing the anguish of mourning related to death.
A look at the show
As the performance progresses, the creative introduces a series of disturbing images. At one particular moment, we observe figures that seem straight out of his previous work ‘A rib on the table’, while a speech unfolds that explores the decay of the human body. Between horror and humanity, Liddell includes visions of elderly people in wheelchairs and a girl who symbolizes purity, as well as figures in black representing coffin bearers, all forging a representation that is both disturbing and revealing.
Ingmar Bergman’s mock funeral
Finally, there is a recreation of the funeral of the prolific director Ingmar Bergman, who died on July 30, 2007 in what many consider the “hour of the wolf.” According to Bergman’s specifications, he wanted this ceremony to imitate that of Pope John Paul II, who has been present in various forms during the performance. A large white coffin is brought onto the stage, surrounded by a group of actors from Stockholm’s Dramaten, an institution where Bergman left an enriching legacy, while a cellist offers her interpretation of the “Sarabande from Suite No. 5” by Johann Sebastian Bach, one of the filmmaker’s closest musical references.
reflections on life
In moments of deep reflection, Liddell confronts us with the harsh reality of our existence. With a look of disdain and compassion, he shares about the fragility of life, reminding us that we are all ultimately doomed to the same fate, keeping in mind that time is against us. Some of the demons that tormented Bergman seem to move through her speech, as she weaves together fragments of her work and her impressions of human creatures, evoking memorable quotes from Bergman’s writings. The deep connection between the artist and the director seems unbreakable.
The haunting voice of Angélica Liddell
Throughout the work, Angélica Liddell presents herself as a vehicle of tragedy and provocation, speaking as if she were the essence of a presence that defies destiny itself. With her intention to be the bastion of contemporary performance, she makes it clear that there is a manipulation of emotion, inviting viewers to question the reality of life and art. In her own words, she has hinted that silence, as the culmination of her trilogy, will be the true protagonist of her next work; However, the content and forms that she will harvest remain a mystery.
