Criticisms, Videos and Festivals of "Soloist" ROCAMORA TEATRE

SOLOIST

Reviews and press releases:

Crowded show

Marionettes come to life at FIA

· The show Soloist, of the Spanish group Rocamora, was presented on Sunday in the Plaza de la Cultura in San Jose
· The talent of the puppeteer Carles Cañellas makes it appear that the puppets are handled by themselves, as if he disappeared from the scene momentarily
The art of giving life to the inanimate is a vocation that the European puppeteer Carles Cañellas has. With a joint strings and virtuous hands, this Catalan stages a street show of marionettes, be able to maintain without blinking for more than an hour adults and children.
This is who were tested today at noon in the Plaza de la Cultura, where the puppet show Soloist, of the Rocamora Company from Barcelona, was presented. The show came to the Costa Rica as part of the cultural activities of the International Festival of Arts.
What makes these marionettes so special? The difference with other puppets of its kind is that these characters are appropriate the stage by circuses acts, ballet, flamenco and other dances, performed with such perfection that it seems that the figure of the puppeteer disappears momently of the scene.
Cañellas reminds us that he is on the stage only when calling their stars, which come out one by one from their suitcases. The first to appear is a tap dancer named Johnny, a likeable black marionette, who is one of those who show the most perfect technique. However, who wins the show is a marionette created by the Spanish that he calls only Grandpa, and despite his rheumatism makes rumble the stage with his dance. Meanwhile, the esplanade of the Plaza de la Cultura looks very crowded. Some of those who pass by chance come to snoop on what keeps everyone so entertained. These bystanders end up staying, thus forgetting the chores of the day for a few minutes.
Gifting culture. Part of the cultural contribution made by Carles Cañellas and his partner Susanna Rodríguez, who helps him on stage, is the presentation of a piece of ballet starring by a marionette with mime’s air, which he says, has been accompanying him on his travels since 1979.
The piece takes the audience on a dramatic moment showing the exploits of a dancer to reach a star. After this act, comes the turn of the last puppet, who accompanies him on this trip to Costa Rica: a gypsy dancer, called Pepita, who plays the castanets and moves to the best style of the Andalusian flamenco. Soloist closes with the repetition on the stage with the Grandpa’s marionette, who takes the audience laughs at their attempts to learn to skate. This show ends when the artist behind the strings greets and expresses the hope that they do not pass another 20 years before to return to Costa Rica with their puppets.
Ana Yancy Flores M.. LA NACIÓN. 14/04/2014

SOLOIST

ROCAMORA TEATRE

“Soloist” of Carles Canellas was the one who started the official opening of the 8th International Puppet Theatre Festival “Pierrot 2013”. There is no doubt if it is the kind of a play, which successfully synthesizes and represents the puppet theatre that we all exude deep in our selves. The attitude (we could name it love) of the actor towards the puppet, the correlation between an actor and a puppet, and the life of the marionettes as a whole are the core of the play. A play, cleaned from everything needless, a play which fits in a trunk, a play, where the whole beauty of the puppetry is collected in one, on top of that performed only by one actor.
Carles Cañellas shows his puppets to the audience in seven different acts, mixing shorts stories with dancing pieces. What makes this simple play so unique is the love towards the puppetry which Carles presents. In his hands all puppets become alive, so alive that it is hard to talk about them as simple puppets. Actually when watching we forget that they are puppets. We meet up with real little people who dance, dream and have feelings. For the audience is like a personal live mirror, in front of which they get in the vortex. We could hear them breathing and when we see them how they relate with the actor, now we are sure that they are alive.
Each of the characters has his own little story. It all begins with a puppet, which comes out of a suitcase. It leads us to an endless journey through the puppets’ world. When Johnny’s step dance is interrupted because of a technical problem, he decides to go up on the stage and show us what he is capable of. The audience is in rapture. And to prove the autonomy of the marionette, the grandfather forces his partner Carles to let him on the stage so he can get his minute of fame. We could also feel the fear of the clown Felix when he is balancing on a rope. Then it’s the turn of Mendelssohn and Schumann and Pierrot who’s dreaming to reach the stars. He pursuits the stars in his dream - a dream full of tenderness. We could only stay quiet and share his rush towards the stars. And the flamenco dancer -Pepita Repuerto- gives her everything on the stage.
The impressive dialogue between the actor and the puppet creates a sensation of things happening right now, unexpectedly. At the end Carles turns the marionettes towards the audience so they can meet them closer, just before he puts them in the trunk until the next time.
Teodora Kafedzhieva / Teodora Marginova. BUTLLETÍ PIERROT #1. 24/09/2013

The puppeteer has given one of the most intense moments of the festival.

Marionettes of a prodigious agility and a summer evening outdoors. There were so many ingredients on the fourth edition of "Alla corte di Tavà", the Festival of Puppet Theatre that last night, has experienced one of his most intense moments. The program had already indicated "Soloist", the spectacle of the Rocamora company of Barcelona, such an important event. To observe at Carles Cañellas operating with his marionettes arouses the emotion that is felt for a true master. The Catalan puppeteer shows a virtuosic, almost acrobatic technique, combined with a strong poetic sensibility. His puppets, from the cute little granddad on roller-skates to the exuberant flamenco dancer, to the poetic Pierrot, they looked living his own life. The audience’s attentiveness and the final applause have emphasized the general appreciation.
Sara Cerrato. LA PROVINCIA DI COMO. 24/06/2000

Auteur Marionettes

Appreciated Cañellas exhibition with the show "Soloist".

Opening the festival was the company Rocamora with Soloist. It's about a marionette show of the Catalan animator Carles Cañellas. The structure is simple: using a diffuse formula, especially abroad, the show is composed by a sequence of «sketches», whose protagonists are the characters who interact with the puppeteer. It’s a form that winks to the old variety show and that is lent from the art of «buskers», the street performers -acrobats, fantasists, dancers, clowns-. Except that is performed with puppets, furthermore «at view». And here begins the difficulty, because if the structure is simple, the technical skill requested is remarkable. There is no a story in which to hold on or a curtain behind which to hide. The operator is alone, in front of the audience. From this point of view, Soloist is a show-assay of technique that should be filmed and shown in the animation schools, if there were in Italy. Cañellas conquers the audience, displays an exceptional dexterity giving to the marionettes movements almost humans. He plays with his own role, alternating moments where is involved in the action with his puppets with others where he limits to animate, literally «disappearing» from the public attention. He also touches the virtuosity, when one of the marionettes hides between her legs, and he continues moving it without to tangle a string or to lose the rhythm. It’s a piece of cleverness comparable to when Gassman recited upside down the Hamlet's monologue at the Teatro Tenda in the 70s: but that one was virtuosity of exhibition, this is functional to the show.
Pier Giorgio Nosari. L'ECO DI BERGAMO. 22/07/1997

SOLOIST has participated in the Festivals:

-EXPO OSAKA 2025. SPANISH PAVILION. OSAKA. JAPAN
-TÍTERES DE VERANO 2024. TEATRO DE TÍTERES DEL PARQUE DEL RETIRO. MADRID. SPAIN
-13 FESTIVAL DE TÍTERES DE LAS MERINDADES. MEDINA DE POMAR (BURGOS). SPAIN
-13 FESTIVAL DE TÍTERES DE LAS MERINDADES. QUINTANA MARTÍN GALÍNDEZ (BURGOS). SPAIN
-2n APLEC TITELLAIRE DE CALDERS. CALDERS. SPAIN
-XXX FESTIVAL INTERNAZIONALE TEATRO DI FIGURA. BURATTINARTE. ALBA (CN). ITALY
-3r TAST DE TITELLES 2024. SANT ESTEVE DE PALAUTORDERA. SPAIN
-XIV FESTIVAL DE TITELLES TOT DEL POBLE ESPANYOL. BARCELONA. SPAIN
-28 FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL GALICREQUES. SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA (A CORUÑA). SPAIN
-7è FESTIVAL DE TITELLES DEL MOIANÈS. MOIÀ. SPAIN
-15è FESTIVAL ESBAIOLA'T A LES VALLS D'ÀNEU. ESTERRI D'ÀNEU. SPAIN
-6è FESTIVAL DE TITELLES DEL MOIANÈS. CASTELLCIR. SPAIN
-5è FESTIVAL DE TITELLES DEL MOIANÈS. L'ESTANY. SPAIN
-IV FESTIVAL DE TITELLES DE GUILS. GUILS DE CERDANYA. SPAIN
- FESTIVAL BISONTERE 2021. SANTILLANA DEL MAR. SPAIN
-13a FIRA DE TITELLES. SANT MARTÍ VELL. SPAIN
-XXII FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE TERESETES DE MALLORCA. TEATRE SANS. PALMA. SPAIN
-XXII FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE TERESETES DE MALLORCA. PORRERES. SPAIN
-XXII FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE TERESETES DE MALLORCA. INCA. SPAIN
-4t FESTIVAL DE TITELLES DEL MOIANÈS. CASTELLTERÇOL. SPAIN
-4t FESTIVAL DE TITELLES DEL MOIANÈS. SANT QUIRZE SAFAJA. SPAIN
-3 FESTIVAL FRATELLI BURATTINI. TEATRO PUCCINI. FIRENZE. ITALY
-3r FESTIVAL DE TITELLES DEL MOIANÈS. SANT QUIRZE SAFAJA. SPAIN
-JOURNÉES DES ARTS DE LA MARIONNETTE DE CARTHAGE. TUNIS. TUNISIA
-2n FESTIVAL DE TITELLES DEL MOIANÈS. MONISTROL DE CALDERS. SPAIN
-35 FESTIVAL TITIRIJAI. TOPIC. TOLOSA (Gipuzkoa). SPAIN
-39. INTERNATIONALE PUPPENTHEATERTAGE. MISTELBACH. AUSTRIA
-V TITIRIFUENTE 2017 FESTIVAL DE TÍTERES. FUENLABRADA. SPAIN
-XXI FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE TÍTERES. JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA. SPAIN
-1r FESTIVAL DE TITELLES DEL MOIANÈS. CALDERS. SPAIN
-MEMORIAL ÀNGELS VALERO. SANT LLORENÇ SAVALL. SPAIN
-I FESTIVAL DE TÍTERES DE FUENTERREBOLLO. FUENTERREBOLLO (SEGOVIA). SPAIN
-TITIRIMUNDI EN LA FERIA DEL LIBRO. SALAMANCA. SPAIN
-TITIRIMUNDI 2017. 31 FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE TEATRO DE TÍTERES. SEGOVIA. SPAIN
-II TITIRIMUNDI EN SOTO DEL REAL. SOTO DEL REAL (MADRID). SPAIN
-XXIII FESTIVAL DE TÍTERES DE BARAÑÁIN. BARAÑÁIN (NAVARRA). SPAIN
-ACTE DE CLOENDA 27a FIRA DE TEATRE DE TITELLES. LLEIDA. SPAIN
-10th IZMIR INTERNATIONAL PUPPET DAYS. IZMIR. TURKEY
-18 KUKLA FESTIVALI. ISTANBUL INTERNATIONAL PUPPET THEATRE. ISTANBUL. TURKEY
-NATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL 2015. GRAHAMSTOWN. SOUTH AFRICA
-TITIRIMUNDI 2015. 29 FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE TEATRO DE TÍTERES. SEGOVIA. SPAIN
-XV FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE TÍTERES MEMORIAL JUANJO AMOEDO. REDONDELA. SPAIN
-XIV FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE LAS ARTES 2014. SAN JOSÉ. COSTA RICA
-RASSEGNA TEATRO IN TASCA. CANTIERI TEATRALI KOREJA. LECCE. ITALY
-28ème FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DES MARIONNETTES ET FORMES ANIMÉES. FOURQUES. FRANCE
-8th INTERNATIONAL PUPPET THEATRE FOR ADULTS FESTIVAL "PIERROT". STARA ZAGORA. BULGARIA
-19th INTERNATIONAL THEATER FESTIVAL FOR CHILDREN & YOUTH. HAMEDAN. IRAN
-2a MOSTRA DE TITELLES DEL TIBIDABO. BARCELONA. SPAIN
-LA TITELLADA 2012, 7a. MOSTRA DE TITELLES DE LES ROQUETES. BARCELONA. SPAIN
-I FESTIVAL DE TÍTERES DE LAS MERINDADES. VILLASANA DE MENA (BURGOS). SPAIN
-I FESTIVAL DE TÍTERES DE LAS MERINDADES. VILLARCAYO (BURGOS). SPAIN
-I FESTIVAL DE TÍTERES DE LAS MERINDADES. QUINTANA MARTÍN GALÍNDEZ (BURGOS). SPAIN
-I FESTIVAL DE TÍTERES DE LAS MERINDADES. ESPINOSA DE LOS MONTEROS (BURGOS). SPAIN
-I FESTIVAL DE TÍTERES DE LAS MERINDADES. MEDINA DE POMAR (BURGOS). SPAIN
-I FESTIVAL DE TÍTERES DE LAS MERINDADES. TRESPADERNE (BURGOS). SPAIN
-IX FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE TITELLES I MÀSCARES. ESPLUGUES DE LLOBREGAT. SPAIN
-FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE TEATRE I ANIMACIÓ AL CARRER 2011. VILADECANS. SPAIN
-V ANIMAR. FESTIVAL DEL TEATRO DI ANIMAZIONE SUL MEDITERRANEO. TEULADA. SARDEGNA. ITALY
-XV FESTIVAL MULTISCENA 2010. VINCI (FI). ITALY
-XX RASSEGNA FAVOLE D'AGOSTO 2010. SANTARCANGELO DI ROMAGNA (RN). ITALY
-FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE TEATRE I ANIMACIÓ AL CARRER 2010. VILADECANS. SPAIN
-XVI RASSEGNA INTERNAZIONALE DI TEATRO DI FIGURA BURATTINARTE. MONFORTE D'ALBA (CN). ITALY
-XVI RASSEGNA INTERNAZIONALE DI TEATRO DI FIGURA BURATTINARTE. POLLENZO (CN). ITALY
-RASSEGNA MARIONETTE E BURATTINI 2009. PARMA. ITALY
-3a. MOSTRA DE TITELLES DE MOLLET. MOLLET. SPAIN
-FESTIVALUL INTERNATIONAL DE TEATRU PENTRU COPII SI TINERET "LUCEAFARUL". IASI. ROMANIA
-1a FIRA DE TITELLES. SANT MARTÍ VELL. SPAIN
-X FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE TITERES. SANTA LUCIA DE TIRAJANA. GRAN CANARIA. SPAIN
-13è FESTIVAL DE TEATRE DE TITELLES. SANT LLORENÇ SAVALL. SPAIN
-1-r CICLE DE TEATRE DE TITELLES PER A JOVES I ADULTS. CASTELLBISBAL. SPAIN
-GUANT 3r FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE TEATRE DE TITELLES DE L’ALT CAMP. ALCOVER. SPAIN
-RIO LOCO! GARONNE LE FESTIVAL. TOULOUSE. FRANCE
-11th WORLD FESTIVAL OF PUPPET ART 2007. PRAGA. CZECH REPUBLIC
-10a. FIRA DE TITELLAIRES ROMÀ MARTÍ. CALDES DE MONTBUI. SPAIN
-MARIBUR. XVI RASSEGNA DEL TEATRO DI FIGURA OTELLO SARZI. LIGORNETTO. TICINO. SWITZERLAND
-MARIBUR. XVI RASSEGNA DEL TEATRO DI FIGURA OTELLO SARZI. RIVA SAN VITALE. TICINO. SWITZERLAND
-2n FESTIVAL DE TITELLES DE LA RIBERA. ALBERIC (VALÈNCIA). SPAIN
-TITERE-06. V FEST. INT. DE TEATRO DE TÍTERES DE LA REGIÓN DE MURCIA. BENIAJAN. SPAIN
-TITERE-06. V FEST. INT. DE TEATRO DE TÍTERES DE LA REGIÓN DE MURCIA. MURCIA. SPAIN
-FESTIVAL DE TITELLES. MERCÈ 2006. BARCELONA. SPAIN
-RASSEGNA BORGHI E BURATTINI "LA PIAZZA DEI BURATTINI" MILLE FIGURE ANIMATE. BERGAMO. ITALY
-3º Festival Itinerante di Teatro di Figura "BURATTINI, MARIONETTE, PUPAZZI". BRONI (PV). ITALY
-XVI RASSEGNA FAVOLE D'AGOSTO 2006. SANTARCANGELO DI ROMAGNA (RN). ITALY
-VI RASSEGNA "BURATTINI D'ESTATE". CREMONA. ITALY
-3r FESTIVAL "MONO, ESTACIÓ DE TEATRE DE MONÒLEGS". CASTELLDEFELS. SPAIN
-16è FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE TITELLES. GAVÀ. SPAIN
-7a. CONCENTRACIÓ DE TITELLES DEL POBLE ESPANYOL. BARCELONA. SPAIN
-20ème FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DES MARIONNETTES ET FORMES ANIMÉES. FOURQUES. FRANCE
-MUESTRA TEATRO Y ARTES DE CALLE / ANTZERKI ETA KALEKO ARTEEN ERAKUSTALDIA. LAUDIO. SPAIN
-IV MUESTRA TITEREANDO / IKUSTALDIA TXOTXONGILO TXOROAK. VITORIA-GASTEIZ. SPAIN
-15è FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE TITELLES. GAVÀ. SPAIN
-FESTIVAL INT. "BURATTINI E MARIONETTE" OMAGGIO A FAUSTO BRAGA. COLLE UMBERTO (TV). ITALY
-FORUM UNIVERSAL DE LAS CULTURAS BARCELONA 2004. SPAZIO KABARET. BARCELONA. SPAIN
-RASSEGNA INTERNAZIONALE DI TEATRO PER RAGAZZI "LUGLIO BAMBINO". CAMPI BISENZIO (FI). ITALY
-RASSEGNA INTERNAZIONALE DI TEATRO DI STRADA "SPETTACOLANDO". CAMPORGIANO (LU). ITALY
-XXI FEST. INTERNAZIONALE DEL TEATRO DI FIGURA "LA LUNA È AZZURRA". SAN MINIATO (PI). ITALY
-RASSEGNA INTERNAZIONALE "FESTIVILLA". COSENZA. ITALY
-RASSEGNA INTERNAZIONALE "TEATRO IN CAMPUS" UNICAL. ARCAVACATA DI RENDE (CO). ITALY
-MOSTRA RIALLES 2003. CERDANYOLA DEL VALLÈS. SPAIN
-DOCKTEATER FRÅN TRE KONTINENTER. MARIONETTEATERN. STOCKHOLM. SWEDEN
-VIII RASSEGNA INTERNAZIONALE DI TEATRO DI FIGURA BURATTINARTE. VERDUNO (CN). ITALY
-VIII FESTIVAL INTERNAZIONALE "IMMAGINI DELL'INTERNO". PINEROLO (TO). ITALY
-VI FESTIVAL INTERNAZIONALE DI TEATRO DI FIGURA "DI TUTTI I COLORI". FIRENZE. ITALY
-IV RASSEGNA INTERNAZIONALE DI TEATRO DI FIGURA "SIRMIONE IN SCENA". SIRMIONE (BR). ITALY
-MARIBUR. IX RASSEGNA DEL TEATRO DI FIGURA OTELLO SARZI. STABIO. TICINO. SWITZERLAND
-1r FESTIVAL DE TITELLES A CAN SANT JOAN. MONTCADA I REIXAC. SPAIN
-16ème FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DES MARIONNETTES ET FORMES ANIMÉES. FOURQUES. FRANCE
-IL CASTELLO DEI BURATTINAI DEL MONDO. MILANO. ITALY
-FESTIVAL PARQUE DE LAS MARIONETAS. PILAR 2000. ZARAGOZA. SPAIN
-X RASSEGNA FAVOLE D'AGOSTO 2000. SANTARCANGELO DI ROMAGNA (RN). ITALY
-VI FESTIVAL INTERNAZIONALE GIOPPINO & CO 2000. TREVIGLIO (BG). ITALY
-VI FESTIVAL INTERNAZIONALE GIOPPINO & CO 2000. CARAVAGGIO (BG). ITALY
-FESTIVAL INTERNAZIONALE DEI BURATTINAI. COMO. ITALY
-MUESTRA DE TEATRO CALLEJERO. ZARAGOZA. SPAIN
-FIGURIAMOCI III. FESTIVAL INTERNAZIONALE BURATTINI E FIGURE. FIRENZE. ITALY
-RASSEGNA LE STELLE DI CARTAPESTA. LA MADDALENA. SARDEGNA. ITALY
-RASSEGNA BARACCHE, BURATTINI E BURATTINAI. IGLESIAS. SARDEGNA. ITALY
-RASSEGNA BURATTINI IN CITTÀ. CAGLIARI. SARDEGNA. ITALY
-RASSEGNA BURATTINI SOTTO LE STELLE. QUARTU S.ELENA. SARDEGNA. ITALY
-AD INVENTARE LE FAVOLE. RASSEGNA DI TEATRO RAGAZZI. BALSORANO. ITALY
-COLORI D'ESTATE. RASSEGNA DI TEATRO RAGAZZI. AVEZZANO. ITALY
-4t FESTIVAL DE TEATRE DE TITELLES. SANT LLORENÇ SAVALL. SPAIN
-FESTIVAL INTERNAZIONALE DEI BURATTINI E DELLE FIGURE. GENOVA. ITALY
-FESTIVAL INTERNAZIONALE DI TEATRO RAGAZZI "LINEE DI CONFINE". ANCONA. ITALY
-XIIIè FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE TEATRE VISUAL I DE TITELLES. BARCELONA. SPAIN
-9a FIRA DE TEATRE DE TITELLES. LLEIDA. SPAIN
-X FESTIVAL DE TÍTERES Y MARIONETAS. MÁLAGA. SPAIN
-FESTIVAL MULTISCENA. I COLORI DELLA SCENA. VINCI. ITALY
-VII RASSEGNA "ARRIVESNO IN PIAZZA!". BERGAMO. ITALY
-FESTIVAL "VIA COL TEMPO" LUGLIO 1997. CREMA. ITALY
-1r FESTIVAL DE TITELLES PER A ADULTS. PREMIÀ DE MAR. SPAIN