Economic crisis, pandemic, oversupply of
streaming
content , screens and more screens.
Despite all this, the theater, that of flesh and blood, that of the ephemeral present and shared with strangers, survives.
Or, better yet, it
's more alive than ever.
At least, that shows a summer box office that sets records
in Buenos Aires and is doing very well in Mar del Plata.
According to producer Carlos Rottemberg, perhaps the most experienced maker in the field, the Buenos Aires theater scene this summer 2023 appears as
"the best in the history of the city of Buenos Aires"
.
From the hits on Corrientes Street to the halls of the off circuit,
the billboard is full of quality shows
that, in many cases, fortunately, can display the long-awaited "
There are no more locations
" sign.
"Married with children" at the Gran Rex is on point at the Buenos Aires box office this summer season.
In Buenos Aires, one of them is
Married with Children
, at the Gran Rex, one of the premieres that the public has been waiting for since before the pandemic, uploaded to the great success that television has given it for 17 years.
Guillermo Francella, Florencia Peña, Luisana Lopilato, Marcelo De Bellis, Darío Lopilato and Jorgelina Aruzzi reign meters from the Obelisk with the record (another one) of
eleven weekly performances
.
On the podium are followed by two other works that were already working very well since their premiere last year, such as the comedy
Immaduros
, starring Adrián Suar and Diego Peretti, at the Nacional Sancor Seguros, and the marvelous
Piaf
, at the revamped Liceo, with an Elena Roger shining with her cast in the recreation of Edith Piaf.
This overview of the commercial circuit, according to figures from AADET (Argentine Association of Theater Entrepreneurs), takes into account
collection data, spectator attendance, average admission and room occupancy
.
For this reason, sometimes the work that collects the most (for the price of the tickets) is not always the one that necessarily attracts the most spectators, even if they are very close.
"Peep."
A work that combines quality and popularity on the Buenos Aires billboard.
Photo Press
Several decades ago,
the three summer months were a desert, in theatrical terms, for Buenos Aires
.
Over the years, this has been reversed, according to Rottemberg, partly because the large theaters that were refrigerated, such as the Gran Rex, the Opera, the Broadway or the Metropolitan,
were dedicated to cinema and now open their doors to the theater
.
Vacation times have also been shortened and today, those who stay in Buenos Aires
look for shows just like during the rest of the year
.
And, to this, add the spectators who arrive as tourists to the City, from other areas of the country or from other countries, increasing the flow of spectators.
"Before, in Buenos Aires,
a successful summer season meant selling between 180,000 and 200,000 tickets
," explains the businessman.
"This year, according to the figures registered up to January 29, always speaking of the commercial circuit,
they have already exceeded 200,000 and February is still ahead
."
Works as different as
Mastropiero de
Les Luthiers
(which resulted in the farewell to the iconic group),
Parque Lezama
, the play starring
Luis Brandoni
and
Eduardo Blanco
, directed by Juan José Campanella, with functions in the reopened Politeama, a few blocks from the Obelisk.
In
this
Buenos Aires summer of theatrical effervescence,
they also celebrate the comedy
Tom, Dick & Harry
, which marked the directorial debut of
Nicolás Cabré
and which doubled functions;
and
Dos locas de remate,
with Soledad Silveyra and Verónica Llinás
;
Freud's Last Session
, with Luis Machín and Javier Lorenzo, and
Desnudos,
with a renewed cast.
"Tom, Dick and Harry" at the Comafi Multiteatro, with Bicho Gómez, Mariano Martínez and Yayo Guridi, directed by Nicolás Cabré.
Photo: Press.
Proposals as different as
Art
, with Pablo Echarri, Fernán Mirás and Mike Amigorena
, Mellera Lauriente, I am my own wife, My mother, my girlfriend and I, The Grönholm method, The anatomy lesson,
Yes but no, Single,
Nanutria, el gocho de oro,
and
Más comedia
, among others,
are also having a good season.
The pattern set by the box office explosion this year can be measured by comparing the current numbers with those of summer 2020, prior to the pandemic which, in the same period, reached
42,000 tickets
.
Precisely, the Covid paralyzed theatrical activity for more than a year and a half, as had never happened before, presenting
a panorama that was absolutely bleak for both artists and producers
and all the people linked to the activity, even for the public that lost the fascinating theatrical ritual.
Once that trauma had been overcome (in economic terms there are still consequences), the theaters received the public again, which,
perhaps in a sort of antidepressant effect, turned more than ever to the shows
in the third city with the most theaters in the world. , as is
Buenos Aires.
That is why, for the most part, comedies prevail.
The happy scene
On the other hand, regarding Mar del Plata, the figures registered by AADET were also relieving and auspicious.
The halls of La Feliz summoned the public along with the beaches
of the seaside resort, upholding the tradition that, for decades, has been part of the ritual for those who spend the summer by the sea.
Almost all the works that began the year in theaters in Mar del Plata, before facing the second fortnight, had to add performances: this is what
El Divorce did,
with
Luciano Castro
, Pablo Rago, Natalie Pérez and Carla Conte, in Mar del Plata;
La Jenny
, in the Mar del Plata debut of Wali Iturriaga, at the Neptuno;
Lost Mind
, in the Atlas;
and
Full Word
(with
Gabriel Rolón)
, at the Bristol.
"In Mar del Plata it can be said, already at this point, that it
is a recovered season
", says Rottemberg.
"The numbers for this first month of 2023 are comparable to those of January 2020.
Jenny
, by comedian Wali Iturriaga, was
the big surprise due to the number of viewers she summons,
while the one that collects the most is
Divorce
."
As the numbers show, in a big picture, the musical
Dracula
and
Lost Mind
went head to head.
And
Sex
,
I lived your experience
, by José María Muscari, and
Revuelto
, with
Soy Rada
, follow closely behind.
The programming for this season was very varied and that also allows the competition to be more even
since there are options for all types of audiences.
However, in Rottemberg's analysis, it is likely that
the final numbers of the Mar del Plata season are more similar to those of 2019, which was a little weaker
, but there is an explanation.
The cast of "El Divorce" with the president of AFA, Chiqui Tapia, with the World Cup, a good omen for the 2023 theater season.
"Last December, when the season started, there was a week lost that month due to the World Cup and the end-of-year parties that coincided with weekends, which meant that there were no performances precisely on the days with the greatest number of people," the producer stands out.
To this is added
what happens in the last week of February, which coincides with the carnival
, where there are generally fewer spectators and, with the start of classes, too.
While the casts enjoy the full halls, in February the Complejo Teatral de Buenos Aires and the Teatro Nacional Cervantes will begin to offer performances, both official and also a number of proposals from the independent circuit that contribute so much identity and quality to the activity in the city.
As a curious fact and, even symbolic to open this good season, on January 7 after the second performance of
El Divorce
, in Mar del Plata, the president of the AFA, Chiqui Tapia, went up on stage and shared with the cast and the public
the World Cup, recently obtained by the Argentine National Team in Qatar
.
A joy turned almost into a charm of good omen.
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