THE COMPANY
PLAYGROUND is the name of the visual theatre company created by the actor Xavier Bobés in the year 2003.
PLAYGROUND is also a method of working and researching in the world of the object, giving it new meanings in surprising contexts which belong in the world of imagination.
This method of working has always been a long process, intimate and solitary – in the initial stages – with the chosen object of manipulation. This process then moves onto a second phase, in the form of a creative dialogue with the rest of the artistic team who contributes a new fresh vision and comments on possible interpretations. This dialogue is indispensable.
The objects are found in second hand markets, antique fairs and toyshops. Many have also been found abandoned by their former owners.
El cap als núvols (Head in the Clouds) is the first creation of the company PLAYGROUND , it premiered in May 2004 in Barcelona , and since then has performed in a number of festivals and theatres. This play was rewarded with the Premi FAD Sebastià Gasch 2005 – 2006. Countries visited: Slovenia, Morroco, Lebanon, Turquie, Italy, France, Armenia, Georgia, Germany, Israel.
Duet is the second visual show by the company and it premieres in the Festival Escena Abierta (Burgos, Spain) in January 2006. Since then it has been played around Spain, France, Germany, Poland.
El rei de la Soledat is the third production of the company. It has been played as a work-in-progress in the Festival Neo 2006 of Barcelona and in the theatre l'Escorxador of Lleida. Its premieres in July 2007 in Centre Cultural la Mercè, Girona. During 2007 it has been shown in Germany, around Spain, France and Poland.
Xavier Bobés collaborates in different shows by the creation and manipulation of objects: Dianoia (2005-2006) of the association Kulturprozent and Viatge a la felicitat (2007) by Iban Beltrán.
In February 2006 is been created the STUDIO PLAYGROUND in “el Poble Espanyol” of Barcelona , where the company continues the research in the world of the manipulation of objects. At the beginning of 2009 the STUDIO PLAYGROUND moves to Celrá, Girona. Playground is a resident company in the Centre of Interpretacion of Art and Nature Casa Cuadrau from the village "Vió", in the Pirineo Aragonés.
PLAYGROUND's artistic team is made up of Xavier Bobés, Julià Carboneras, Sandrine Veyry, Daniel Benito Po, Eric de Sarria.