Babel Theatre is bringing to Wellington the widely acclaimed Spanish Theatre play Ay Carmela as part of the Wellington Fringe Festival 2019.

Carmela and Paulino, a couple of Spanish travelling entertainers, mistakenly cross the
border that separates the two opposing sides of the Spanish Civil War. Unexpectedly, they end up in “Belchite” – a square that the National Army has recently liberated. Both actors will be forced to improvise a theatrical evening to celebrate the defeat of the enemy. What begins as an entertaining tribute to the victors ends as a tragic comedy.

This is the first time that Ay Carmela is performed in New Zealand, and it will be in original language (Spanish). However, the company has worked hard in adapting the script for an English-speaking audience.

Daniel Fernandez (Paulino) and Adriana Yianacou (Carmela) are experienced Spanish actors. However, this is the first time that they have the possibility of performing in their native language in New Zealand. Ian Sinclair, joins them and will bring his flamenco guitar to create a unique atmosphere, and as narrator, that, in English, will guide the audience through the historical context of the story.