Gutenberg

Zenón Recalde, known for musicals such as El Rey León and Mamma Mia!, is directing a comedy-musical inspired by the life of Johann Gutenberg, the inventor of the printing press, at Teatros Luchana until 25 December.

What happens when two writers (played by Iker Montero and Albert Bolea) with hardly any experience decide to write a musical about a historical figure they practically know nothing about? That premise kicks off this original production, which plays from the outset with artistic chaos and the precariousness of its own creators, who also take on the challenge of playing all the characters in the story.

The result is a fast-paced comedy that blends acidic humour, outlandish situations and catchy tunes in a staging that consciously embraces disaster as a narrative engine. The piece moves forward at a frantic rhythm, alternating moments of satire and self-parody with others of unexpected tenderness, as its protagonists try to pull off a show that seems doomed to collapse from the very first minute.

Yet that is precisely where much of its charm lies: in the ability to turn mistakes and improvisations into a theatrical language of its own. Moreover, the piece ends up transforming into a comic reflection on artistic ambition, failure and the obstinacy of those who pursue their dreams despite having everything against them.

Beyond the laughter, the musical also functions as a celebration of imperfect creativity and all those seemingly impossible ideas that end up finding their place.

Cast and creative team:

General production - El Tío Caracoles Production Company

Producer - Miguel Ángel Chulia

Director - Zenón Recalde

Musical director - Didac Flores

Cast - Iker Montero and Albert Bolea

Text - Anthony King and Scott Brown

Assistant director and producer - Sergio de Medina

Set design - Javier Ruiz de Alegría

Costume design - Silvina F