The local cultural association Xiroia Teatre spearheaded this initiative, allowing Verdú to reclaim a cultural activity with deep roots in the municipality until the late 1980s. The organizers have positively assessed this first edition, highlighting the high number of proposals received, a total of 296.
“"The participation and high artistic quality have been very positive."
The competition awarded three plays. The first prize, worth 400 euros, went to Atención al cliente, by Isaac Badia, performed by the company Nocturna. The second prize, of 300 euros, was awarded to Tot esperant Sir Kingsley, by Fanny Ferran and Ramon Alcaide, performed by the company Peixospeixeres. Finally, the third prize, of 200 euros, was for Algoritmo Final, by Manuel Casal Lodeiro, staged by Carlota Gil.
Participating works had to be original, with a duration of between 15 and 20 minutes, a maximum of four performers, and free theme, and could be written in either Catalan or Spanish. After an initial selection, the jury chose twenty finalists, from which the three winners were selected. The awards ceremony took place on April 25 in Verdú, in an event that included the performance of the awarded pieces.
The objective of Xiroia Teatre, a group reactivated in 2021, is to ensure the continuity of this competition in future editions, although the rules are expected to be modified to include both authors and representatives in the participation.
