The Second Woman

The duration is noteworthy: 24 consecutive hours of theatre. An examination of the capabilities of a single actress, María Hervás, in a demanding role. Hervás portrays The Second Woman in a transparent room, with a screen displaying a live video feed from a camera positioned outside the room.

She will have the support of a colleague on the performance day. She will be visited by approximately one hundred male colleagues, comprising professional actors and others, with whom she will perform the same role: that of a couple whose relationship has lost its spark.

Naturally, patrons who wish to view the entire performance may accompany the actress in the theatre for the duration of the 24-hour run. However, this is not a prerequisite. The process allows for a brief period of observation, either a few minutes or a specified amount of time, to gain insight into the key elements at play in these matches, scheduled in ten-minute slots. The male subjects exhibit a striking degree of behavioural and emotional uniformity, as well as a high degree of consistency in their reactions when they perceived a threat.

The inaugural performance was a resounding success when it premiered in London last year, with actress Ruth Wilson on stage. It was first created in Australia in 2017 by Nat Randall, an artist who works across performance, video and film, and the independent artist, filmmaker and critic Anna Breckon, who serve as co-directors of the Spanish production with Maria Hervás. The Second Woman draws inspiration from John Cassavetes' film Opening Night, starring Gena Rowlands.

The title of Breckon's piece is the title of a play that Rowlands is rehearsing in Cassavetes' film. During the première, due to her mental state, she occasionally deviates from the script, necessitating improvisation. This is exemplified in Breckon's play, which will be showcased at the Festival de Otoño. The male characters must rely on their own creativity in the ten minutes they have with the second woman. They will be given a few starting points for discussion but must complete the dialogue using their own words. The dialogue is limited to concepts that examine gender and power dynamics, although the disproportionate impact of the device extends beyond these concepts. For María Hervás, this will be a tour de force, comparable to climbing Everest.