• Overview
• Staging information
• Translations
• Sample translations
• Production history

Scene

The play is divided into seven scenes and an epilogue.

Staging

The play is set in different areas of a Madrid shantytown in 1898. The neighbourhood is poor, but there is a lot of local colour – washing hangs from lines, children sing and play in the streets. Scene 2 takes place in Petate’s small family home. Scene 3 is set in the local army barracks. Scene 4 takes place on a spring evening in Retiro Park. There are stalls selling wafers and cakes, and people row boats on the lake. Scenes 5 and 6 are set in and around the casino. Scene 7 takes place outside in the street. The area is decorated for a wedding and there are tables of food and drink. The epilogue takes place on the outskirts of Madrid. The women gathered have brought a Spanish flag in which to bury Pingajo. In the course of the scene, the flag falls on the ground and is stood on by accident, so that Pingajo is buried in a very tattered Spanish flag. (less)

The play is set in different areas of a Madrid shantytown in 1898. The neighbourhood is poor, but there is a lot of local colour – washing hangs from lines, children sing and play in th... (Read more...)

Music

Throughout the play we hear people – and children in particular – singing folksongs. The wedding scene features dancing and singing.

Cast number

Minimum	Maximum
11 males	24 males
6 females	10 females
17 (total)	34 (total)

Cast information

A number of the characters’ names give an insight into their character. For example, Pingajo is an informal term for a rag. Petate can mean a swindler or a good-for-nothing person.

Characters

• PINGAJO
• FANDANGA
• PETATE, ex-convict, Fandanga’s father
• CARMELA, Fandanga’s mother
• MOTHER MARTINA
• SALAMANCA
• TUERTO
• LIEUTENANT
• GRANDMOTHER
• GOSSIP
• ICE CREAM SELLER
• A SERGEANT
• SOLDIER 1
• SOLDIER 2
• SOLDIER 3
• SENTRY
• UNEMPLOYED MAN 1
• UNEMPLOYED MAN 2
• CASINO EMPLOYEE 1
• CASINO EMPLOYEE 2
• CASINO EMPLOYEE 3
• A WOMAN
• ANOTHER WOMAN
• ANOTHER WOMAN
• ANOTHER WOMAN
• A GIRL
• POLICEMEN
• SOLDIERS
• BOYS AND GIRLS
• GENERAL PUBLIC

Entry written by Gwynneth Dowling. Last updated on 1 December 2011.

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