A clown. A guitar. A laugh caught in the throat. In Gola we meet a charismatic and unruly figure who never gets enough. Of the audience’s attention, of their own feelings and absolutely not enough of being in the center of it all.

Gola is a performance about cravings, about hunger, about wanting to be seen and about the moment when it goes too far. The point of departure for this show is the mortal sin of gluttony, seen here in a wider context: the hunger for attention, confirmation, love and stimulation. This is a conceptual production that stretches the idea of sin to the limit. And through exaggeration, the theme is lifted with unexpected clarity.

With a virtuoso mix of clowning, physical theatre and music, Oriol Pla and Pau Matas create a performance that is funny, crazy and uncomfortably right on target. Precise and technically adept. The music takes its own journey: sometimes as a supporting role, sometimes in opposition to the narrative.

Gola is an unsettling mirror of our own boundless longings, and it leaves no one unaffected.

Pau Matas, dramatist, composer and sound designer and Oriol Pla, actor and director with roots in physical theatre and clowning, are two central figures in the performing arts of Catalonia. With backgrounds in music and scenic narration, they work internationally and are highly respected for their unique artistry. Together they combine musicality, physical precision and playfulness to create existential art works. Humor and vulnerability interact.

On Stage

Oriol Pla – Actor
Pau Matas – Musician

Artistic Team

Concept and Direction
Pau Matas
Oriol Pla

Dramaturgical Collaboration
Jordi Oriol

Assistant Director
Gina Aspa

Set and Costume Design
Silvia Delagneau

Lighting Design
Ana Rovira

Music, Sound Concept, and Live Music
Pau Matas

Sound Design
Damien Bazin

Make-up and Character Design
Pablo Perona
Lucía Solana

Movement Consultant
Guillermo Weickert

Assistant Set and Costume Design
Oriol Corral

Special Effects
Oriol Tarrida

Production

Artistic Support and Production
Clàudia Flores

Executive Producers
Andrea Cuevas
Clàudia Flores

Additional Contributors

Caroline Obin
Ventura López Kalász
Will Keen, Martí Solé
Arnau Vallvé
Joaquin Herrera
Mariona Castillo and others

A predominantly physical performance featuring Spanish and various other languages, with English surtitles.

Not included in ticket bundles. Tickets can be booked from 17 August.

Presented in collaboration with the City of Gothenburg Cultural Affairs Administration.

Produced by Temporada Alta Festival and the National Theatre of Catalonia, in collaboration with Sagarra Theatre in Santa Coloma de Gramenet.

Part of PROSPERO-NEW – European Platform for the Promotion of Emerging Artists.