Àlex Ollé

In October of 2002 a group of Chechen terrorists kidnapped, during three days, the Dubrovka Theatre in Moscow and took as hostages more than 700 people. The result was 115 dead hostages caused by gas introduced in the theatre from part of the Russian authorities. These events were the breaking point of ´Boris Godunov´, the work of La Fura dels Baus presented in TNC. Barceloca spoke to its director, Àlex Ollé, which, together with David Plana, has brought to the National stage a show that aims to wake up the reflection over a matter more than controversial

´Boris Godunov´, although it does not expect to reproduce the tragedy of Dubrokva, it is inspired in this tragic episode. What is the process between these events and the play?
The Dubrovka events are only the breaking point to create a fiction that does not have to do with what happened there. The play is decontextualized, geographical as well as political: they are not Chechens, nor does it happen in Russia… What is true is that we document a lot through what happened in Dubrovka and, of this documentation, some elements have remained: the deed that one of the terrorists was an actress, the entrance of a supposedly father that wanted to exchange his son… In any case, it degenerates a fictional tale that takes the show to the reflection on more global terrorism, with more archetype characters: from the most mercenary terrorist, that could be on either side, to the widowed terrorist, that is acting more out of vengeance, for hate, or the person who has some entered for some ideals.

Indeed, the play enters fully in the terrorism theme, a theme quite delicate. Are you not scared of the possible bad interpretations?
Well man, it is a risk. We are conscious that the matter we touch is a very delicate matter that could generate a lot of susceptibilities. For that reason I think what we have achieved is a great challenge: only take sides at the time of rejecting, absolutely, terrorism and any type of violence.
In the play we had to give the terrorists some motives, but we have tried so that the weight does not relapse over any side and I think that we have achieved it. No-one has told us to defend terrorism.

The public converts in to hostages of terrorist group prepared to reach the last consequences. What emotions do you wish to wake?
Basically the reflection over the theme. The best way to combat fear is confronting it. With terrorism, if we don´t confront it, if you don´t discuss, talk and reflect over it, and if we simply give our backs to such an important subject… If we simply take on the savagery without thinking of the possible reasons…
If in the play there is a final message – although that is not our intention – that there is nothing that costs the life of a human being . Not that we agree with the reasons that we give to the terrorists, but they must have them.

In any moment did you think you would let the public actively participate?
No, that was not our intention. Also I think that would have been ridiculous because you cannot do such an artifice with a theme like this. The show starts from the minute zero when it becomes a theatre; there is no intention to make hyperrealism. The public is like they were in the Duborvka case: waiting for time to pass.

What is the role of ´Boris Godunov´ in all this?
We chose ´Boris Godunov´ because it is a play that discusses the ambition for power and corruption. It functions like a mirror. It’s a play from the last century that talks about some events of the XVII Century, but this did not mean that the events explained don´t occur currently in any country of the world. Many times violence is used to gain power, not only through terrorism but also through the own States. We can see this, especially in Africa or South America.

What is the balance that you do with your collaboration with David Plana?
Very positive. This work is not understood without David. Although the original idea was mine and I started working on it a little earlier, it has been a joint work. It was not until we began to work together that we prepared the drama. Also, in a beginning only I was going to direct it but, in a natural way, we ended up sharing the direction shared between the two of us. It has been a very satisfactory job and that, probably, might be repeated in the future.

What would you say this work contributes again with regards to the previous trajectory of the Fura dels Baus? Or, what do you reaffirm?
The Fura is a company with the aptitude to be reinvented constantly, that work with very different artistic disciplines between them. We understand that the creativity must not be framed in an only discipline. And, inside the different worries of the components of La Fura dels Baus, mine for a few years have gone towards the theater to the Italian. That's why the previous work was ´La Metamorfosis de Kafka´ (The Metamorphosis of Kafka), and the two previous ´XXX´ and ´Fausto´, where I worked with my partner Carles Pedrissa. This work, well, forms part of my own journey within La Fura.

And, inside this trajectory, with what show or with what moment do you remain?
I always remain with the last one, which in this case is ´Boris Godunov´. The past, is the past. I am interested in living in the moment. In any case, for a generational question, I would probably remain with ´Suz/o/Suz´, which makes us know and marks us one earlier and one later. The moment of the Olympics, although many people were asking themselves how a company like ours could do that, also represented very much; it was the opportunity to say that not everything must be transgressor, that can also do something for all the public that it is of quality. I also have good memories of when we did our first movie, ´Fausto´, with Fernando León de Aranoa.

To end, I do not know if it is still a little early, but what plans for the future for La Fura after ´Boris Godunov´?
On the company level, many. We have, for example, enough operas until 2011, like four or five. In my case, I have a thing for the Teatro Real, and perhaps for the Scala of Milan, which is a Peter Pan for adolescents and, especially, the desires of doing a show again, because when you end with one you want to begin another. I would like, at the beginning of 2010, to release a performance that would spin surrounding your memory.

Laura Hierro Gisbert