Joan Negrié, actor and cultural manager at Sala Trono: “I grew up in Càmping Tamarit, and also learned a lot on an emotional level”

Joan Negrié - ©Pere Toda/Vilaniu Comunicació

We had to almost chase this month’s #lamevatarragona character, quite literally. As busy as usual, Joan Negrié was back from recording a new add for the Tarragona International Theatre Festival (FITT in Catalan) and was then flying to Italy in order to take part in the play Dignità Autonome di Prostituzione, in Paisiello Theatre, in Lecce.

Actor, cultural manager at Sala Trono and one of FITT’s main souls, Negrié takes on the challenge of showing his own, most personal #lamevatarragona (his Tarragona), and tell us about his close relation to each one of the photographs.

Tamarit - ©Joan Negrié

The first photo he provided shows both Tamarit’s beach and castle, a spot that takes him back to his youth. “I spent my younger years in this campsite opposite Tamarit’s beach. I worked here since I was 15, and until I turned 19, but I had already been there, since my aunt, cousin and godmother used to live in the campsite. That’s where I started my career, and also learned a lot on an emotional level, specially in Tamarit Beach”.

Plaça de la Font - ©Joan Negrié

Joan Negrié’s second photo shows Plaça de la Font, one of the main arteries in the city and one of entrances to the Part Alta neighbourhood. “To me, Plaça de la Font is not just one of the most beautiful squares in the city, but also beyond our borders. It is very special indeed. I’ve spent great moments in it, when I was a teenager, but also now, as a grown-up. I usually end up at Plaça de la Font having dinner on a terrace or just having a drink in any of the bars you can find, and this really saves your day. What was difficult and hard some hours ago, it ends up being really good fun. And it is a sort of meeting point with your friends because, even if you’re on your own, you can still find someone you know”.

Arcs del carrer Merceria - ©Joan Negrié

From that point, we move towards Plaça de les Cols, and we stop just opposite Merceria Street’s arches, the third location chosen by Joan. “Why Merceria Street? Well, because it is one of the routs I walk more often when I go to work to Sala Trono. I leave my car outside the Walls and come here, walking under the arches at all times. And then, when I need a break, I sneak out to buy a chocolate pastry at Rabasó, one of the best bakeries in the entire world”. Note it down gourmands and foodies.

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The last spot is, of course, the Dames i Vells Square, which has become a sort of second home for Negrié and his mates in Sala Trono. “I joined the theatre company Trono Villegas, as an actor, in 1999. Then, from 2005, I’ve been working as the artist director or manager at Sala Trono. I particularly remember the first time I worked in the theatre as an actor in one of our productions, El Lleig (The Ugly) by Màrius Von Mayenburg. We were acting when, all of a sudden, a woman in the audience passed out due to the heat or the actual power of the script or whatever, and we had to actually take her out, all dressed up as we were, and we had to stay with her until the ambulance finally came some long time after, as it couldn’t make it through the narrow streets in the area. In the end, she recovered just fine. I remember this very clearly because that was my first play in Sala Trono“.

Text: Ivan Rodon (@irodon on Twitter)
Pictures: Pere Toda (@ptodaserra on Instagram)
Translation: Artur Santos (@artur_1983 on Twitter)

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