2023-11-26 09:17:44
Sunday, November 26, 2023, 08:17
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Barrexerka started five years ago, combining humor, monologues, theater and sketches. After working “in an informal way” at the beginning, the group has slowly grown, especially since the members changed their chips and made the choice to develop the broadcasts “in a more professional way”. “We sold the product as amateurs and we started working when we evaluated ourselves”, explain the members Graxi Arregi and Garazi Mitxelena. With the last show, ‘Bagoiaz’, they managed to close more shows and the main intention is to expand it in the fall and winter. “We are very happy and confident with the product we have, we know that people want to see us. There’s a lot of work behind it, it’s not done once and it’s over.” It premiered in Donostia in March, and after presenting several shows, the train will stop on December 2nd in Renteria and January 4th in Tolosa.
Both Arregi and Mitxelena joined Mikel Irazusta and Maialen Sorzabalbere’s ‘succession’ “quite by chance”. Irazusta and Sorzabalbere slowly told their friends, members of theater groups or classmates, and the project has been stabilizing, with the change of some members. In addition to the four mentioned, today it is formed by Nerea Aranburu, Amaia Iraundegi, Amaia Rojo, Ekain Arrieta, Peru Ansorena and Nerea Ramirez. Even if they have a different profile, nowadays everyone has a relationship with the “theatre world” in one way or another.
It has brought together the desire and need to offer a different product and to do something, mainly due to the fact that there was a lack of comedy shows in Basque. Five years later they continue with the same intention and goal, that is, in a more “professional” way, although they still have a way to go. In fact, as Arregi emphasized “we each have our work and it remains something we do in our free time, as a hobby, with much more work and involvement”.
They noticed this change while preparing the new show. Starting from a game of words and an image, “we knew it would be on the train and it would be called ‘Wagon'”, they went ahead. “We didn’t have a text and it’s hard for us, but it’s out.” For the first time, they have created a one-hour long performance. Although the texts are written mainly by Irazusta, Arrieta and Sorzabal, they create the theater together. And during the performances they give way to their naturalness, because the text is not rigid and closed. “If someone drops a new joke and the audience likes it, we take it, we’re pretty free with ourselves in that sense,” explains Mitxelena.
Barre Tour
In addition to the ‘Bagoiaz’ performance, they also have the so-called ‘Barre tourra’, which offers the “best moments” of previously performed performances from town to town. Making that selection has helped them look back and see the evolution of the team much more deeply. “It seems to us that we keep doing better things and ‘Bagoiaz’ is the best we’ve done so far.”
However, they speak with great affection at first. The performance at the Lugaritz Cultural Center in Donostia was the starting point. As in the last ones, they managed to fill the room at that time, but as both emphasized “most of them were from the neighborhood, family and friends”. “That’s how we did the performance, looking at what we do now it’s very precarious. We have taken responsibility, things have changed, we have the premises and the material, Barrexerka pays as a group…», remembers Mitxelena».
In retrospect, they don’t lack humor, not even a point of self-criticism. “As they say, it’s been ‘trial and error’, after seeing some formats and sketches from five years ago we think ‘oh mother, what a mess we used to make’: bad as actors, bad recording, bad clothes…”. Some of them, including many of the public’s favourites, can be found on the Barrexerka networks, including ‘Have you seen my earring?’ surrealist sketch, the critical song ‘Put a reed’ or the parodies ‘Extreme Bustita’ and ‘Palatariak’.
“Over the years we have learned what works. We’ve done a test and we’re looking at the next performances in our heads which sketches we want to do.” Along the way, Mitxelena highlights the ability of the group and each member to grow. “We are more demanding of ourselves, maybe a ‘it’s not bad’ worked for us before, now it has to be good.” Both are clear that this experience has already given Barrexerka some molds “that work and that we have adapted from one show to another”.
Surprise and laughter
Among other things, the ability to surprise the public is the essence of Barrexerka’s DNA. They try to be present when creating a new performance and have tried through different means. In the first performances, with the figure of special guests, such as Xabier Madariaga, Kike Amonarriz, Miren Amuriza, Iñaki Artola or several musicians “tricked” for a video.
The idea of the famous people shows that they also intend to break the mold in Barrexerka and they are clear that they must “knock on the doors”. “We called them, they didn’t really know what they were getting at and we played with it. We took a little advantage”, they say with humor, knowing that they were lucky. Even in this intention to overcome the limits, the jokes made with certain collectives, with groups from the neighborhoods of Donostia or with clichés that are classic in the Basque culture are not left behind. “We like to do black humor, knowing that many people don’t like it or won’t catch it, but it’s part of our essence.”
And they have also had their own discussion about the ‘limits of humor’. In the case of the members of Barerxerka, one of them is not feeling comfortable, for example. “We ‘cut’ some jokes between us, once one of us didn’t like a joke and we came to an agreement that if one of the group is not comfortable with that joke, it is not done,” explains Mitxelena. Based on this point of agreement, Arregi is in favor of “taking risks”. “We have never completely crossed the line, we know who our audience is and what humor we can do with it. Let’s not get into a trap.”
In the new show, after the opening monologue, they have combined live theater and pre-recorded sketches. “It is important to keep the surprise in comedy theater. They don’t want to do any spoilers, just extend the invitation to get on the train. “It has multiple characters, each with its own special gag and very different sketches.”
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