Regardless of what one might think, the Children and Youth Theatre Fair of the Balearic Islands (FIET), promoted by Sa Xerxa de Teatre, does not begin on October 17th, but has been in preparation, organization, and shaping for months in order to be in the best possible state for the upcoming weekend.
Even so, today, Tuesday, October 15th, the activities of the FIET begin. At 10:30 a.m., the press conference for the project that will officially kick off the Vilafranca theatre fair will take place. On the same day, the first performance of La Fira s’acosta a l’escola with Flou! (by the Artefactos Bascos company) will be held at Es Baluard in Palma. The following day, Wednesday, October 16th, three sessions of Dins el cau del tabalet (by Farrés Brothers i Cia.) will take place in Portocristo, as part of the same project.
On Thursday, October 17th, the first two activities for professionals will overlap: Còmplices en dansa and the COFAE workshop Quan arriba el silenci, along with the sessions for librarians (featuring performances such as L’Escoleta Kikú, Els coixins màgics, and El cant del bosc [by Laboratori de somnis]). Several sessions of L’escola s’acosta a la Fira will also take place, with pieces like Dues ales (by Farrés Brothers i Cia.), Nilu (by Cia. Infinit ), Una rueda que da vueltas (by Almealera), Flou!, and Tot bé (by Curolles). Professional activities will be scheduled for the afternoon, including the work in progress of Tiramillas Circ, a performance of Dues ales followed by a discussion, a Z meeting, and the first PRO dinner. Thursday afternoon will also mark the beginning of the general programming, with performances such as Tot bé, Nilu, Yo soy una fiesta (by La Resistència Teatre and Lola Vera), Rats! (by Campi qui pugui), and Qwerin (by Osian Meilir), the dance performance selected as the opening activity for the fair. This year, there will also be space for recordings in the communication sector, and the first day of the fair will be complemented by the recording of the FIET podcast with Martí Rossell and the recording of the program La Sala by RNE.
The FIET will continue on Friday, October 18th, with a schedule similar to the previous day. In the morning, professionals will be able to attend Cercant l’equilibri and the project market. On the other hand, as part of La Fira s’acosta a l’escola, students from Sant Llorenç des Cardassar will be able to watch Dins el cau del tabalet at their Espai36.
There will also be space for L’escola s’acosta a la Fira, with performances of Sigues tortuga (by Xip Xap), Matres (by Campi qui pugui), Una rueda que da vueltas, Jo, Tarzan (by Festuc Teatre), and Kuntur (by the Centre de Titelles de Lleida). The afternoon will mark the start of the second day of the general programming, and performances such as B A T U (by Artefactos Bascos), Kuntur, Híbrid (by Tiramillas Circo), Jo, Tarzan, Sigues tortuga, Paquets (by Cia. Toti Toronell ), Matres, Palmant Pridd (by Osian Meilir), and A Corrupted Empire (by Apolvore) will be available. Despite the abundant programming on Friday, there will also be space for program recordings, such as Téntol and L’aviador from IB3, as well as the FIET podcast.
Saturday, October 19th, will be a day full of general programming, as the children do not have school. From 10 a.m. to 10:15 p.m., there will be an uninterrupted schedule of theatre, circus, and dance performances.
In the morning, there will be several performances of shows such as Kuntur, Tararea (by Bressol de músics), Aluzina (by Nacho Diago Producciones en la luna), Jo, Tarzan, Una casa (by La Tangenta), Dins el cau del tabalet, Flou!, Textures (by La curiosa), Una rueda que da vueltas, Sense destí (by Clownómadas),
Sigues tortuga, Paquets, and Rats! At noon, the PRO lunch will take place under the tent at the parc Josep Maria Llompart, along with the recording of the third FIET podcast episode. At 4 p.m., the afternoon theatre performances will resume, featuring several shows from the morning as well as others like Qwerin, La sortija de metal (by Lîla Jocs Reciclats i circ), Forat (by Dudu Arnalot), Conte de Nadal (by Coma14 & Société Mouffette), Terra de fuga (by Paula Ramis), Gretel (by Cuattrox4), the street parade Boiets i boietons de foc, and Ragoh (by Riart Company). This intense third day will conclude with the PRO dinner and the FIET Fest, in collaboration with the 2003 Vilafranca graduates, featuring performances by Toni Nito Creus, Trull Nohara, Som Vinils, and Anto and M. Alba.
The Vilafranca fair will end on Sunday, October 20th, with another jam-packed day of general theatre programming. In the morning, performances will include Vai via (by Xirriquiteula Teatre), Dins el cau del tabalet, Kuntur, Qwerin, Tararea, La sortija de metal, Toca, toca (by L’Horta Teatre), Quan torni la primavera (by Circ Pistolet), Operació òpera (by Diabolous in musica), Forat, El cant del bosc, Paquets, B A T U, Les històries, que ens expliquem les unes a les altres, transformen el món (by Beta Teatre), and a children’s animation with the Cucorba. Like the other days of the fair, Sunday will also feature the recording of the FIET podcast at noon.
On the other hand, two installations will be open for visits at various times during the days of the Children and Youth Theatre Fair. First, Lîla Jocs Reciclats will be open on Rocabertí Street in Vilafranca on Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. Additionally, on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of the FIET, Hàbitat i natiu from the Ludoteca de jardí will be available for visits at the parc Josep Maria Llompart.
With all of this, the FIET has managed to bring together 37 companies (from 6 Spanish autonomous communities and countries such as Wales, Italy, and Brazil) that will present 42 performances during the days of the Fair, which amounts to 108 shows in less than a week. Additionally, there will be 3 work-in-progress sessions and 7 premieres. The school sessions of the Fair will involve around 2,027 students, spread across Thursday and Friday, and 153 accredited professionals will attend in Vilafranca, including representatives from Spain, China, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Germany, Wales, and Poland. To carry all of this out, Vilafranca will be equipped with 16 performance spaces (8 indoor and 8 outdoor).
The Fira de Teatre Infantil i Juvenil de les Illes Balears is the most ambitious and largest-scale project of the Sa Xerxa association, and year after year, it is modified and adjusted to offer professionals, librarians, volunteers, and especially children, the best version of the FIET. This year, the project is approached once again with an analytical, critical, and convinced outlook that the Fair is more necessary than ever. We are excited by the busy streets and happy faces, and that is why we will not stop doing theatre, culture, and community. In short, we will not stop doing FIET!
