Renowned personality Albert Boadella has successfully managed to bring the life and times of King Juan Carlos I to stage at the Infanta Isabel Theater in Madrid. His play titled ‘The king that was’ is a collection of real-life instances and references from the life of the King Emeritus. Starting from this Wednesday and running through till March 31, the play gives viewers a chance to see the King’s most human side and offers him a platform to defend himself.
Boadella made a strong statement saying, “The emeritus King cannot die outside of Spain because it would be a stain that would fall on the current monarchy.“ He was responding to a query about whether King Juan Carlos I should return to Spain.
The playwright further expressed that King Felipe VI is eager for his father’s situation to be resolved as soon as possible. He emphasized the significant role played by Juan Carlos I in the history of Spain, saying that he has been the most relevant King for many years. Boadella said, “Carlos I represents a very important historical fact, how to go from a dictatorship to a democracy“. He acknowledged that the King’s actions have caused surprise and that the “weight of the dynasty” is a mitigating factor for the actions of the royalty.
Boadella also provided an insight into the pressures of monarchical life. He said, “There is one thing that the work reflects well, which is this situation that falls on these people from the monarchical world, which is to endure, the inheritance, the weight of the dynasty. This is tremendous. For instance, Princess Leonor’s future is predetermined like no other Spaniard. She has almost the agenda made and there is no possible turning back. That is a tremendous hardness that marks life in a tremendous way.”
About King Emeritus’s current life in Abu Dhabi, Boadella expressed sadness that it resembles an exile and believes that Juan Carlos I feels unappreciated by Spain. He said, “He has had to leave his country and he probably feels that it was he who brought freedom to the Spanish and who had some decisive words regarding the possibility of a coup d’état (23-F). He might feel that Spain has not acknowledged his contributions adequately, although he has claimed a material part of the matter, but the moral part will be very hard for him.”
BOADELLA ADVISES THE KING AGAINST VIEWING THE WORK
Boadella co-directs the play with Ramón Fontserè, who portrays King Juan Carlos I, and they direct the cast of Els Joglars. The play, set in 2023, in the Persian Gulf, revolves around the life of King Emeritus Juan Carlos I and the last 50 years in Spain.
The directors explain that some parts of the play are based on the King Emeritus’s own experiences. “There is a scene on a schooner in the Persian Gulf where Juan Carlos I makes a paella. This hasn’t happened yet, but he has made paellas in Abu Dhabi, and he has also complained about the lack of saffron“, commented Boadella. He also mentioned that the play would include scenes depicting how the King behaves when he finds a woman attractive.
Boadella suggested that King Juan Carlos I might want to avoid watching the play as it could be an intense experience to see oneself portrayed in front of an audience. He believes that the King might find some parts amusing while others might not be to his liking. However, he and Fontserè are simply doing their job as comedians by trying to reflect the most essential aspects of society.
In the play, the King Emeritus is allowed to defend himself against a young antagonist who voices the opinions of the youth about him. “We give him a voice in the play, which makes the work very balanced and fair. It provides a real situation for the viewer to form their own opinions.“ Boadella explained.
Boadella also defended the parliamentary monarchy as a “formidable” system in Spain that defends “inequality”. He stated that the “advantage” of Felipe VI is that “society does not know if he is left-wing or right-wing.” He further added, “If Juan Carlos I had not been head of state, the list of presidents of the Government who would have taken the place of the King is quite alarming.” He also mentioned that these presidents would not have been head of state for all Spaniards but for a political part.
