LOLA IN LONDON
A one-woman show in development by Marta Pequeño
Lola is Spanish. Very Spanish. She is trying to find herself in London but flamenco, tapas, bullfighting and a jealous boyfriend are getting in the way.
The performance of Lola in London by Marta Pequeño was a hypnotic look at a Spanish woman’s relationship with her matador boyfriend. Comic, at times darkly so, this piece showcased Pequeño’s talent and led the audience into a world of passion and violence which ended with a forcefully hard-hitting revelation.
Elke Wiebalck
Everything Theatre
Pequeño manages to convey every second of this sketch with a profound message about stereotypes and the cruel reality of domestic violence, overflowing at all times with humor and charisma.
Cristina Lago
La Tundra Magazine
Pequeño addressed the audience – forthright and without fear [...] exploring big themes while paradoxically employing subtlety.
Michael Davis
Female Arts
I particularly liked ‘Lola in London’ with its mixture of humour, pathos and almost horror as Lola described her life in the Metropolis in great detail, both the good and the bad sides of it.
Terry Eastham
London Theatre 1
Finalist of the LOST Theatre’s 5 Minute Festival 2015
Selected by the industry panel formed by: Patrick Wilde, Paul Vale and Pete Shaw.
The humour of this monologue is established from the outset, as the protagonist dressed head to toe in Seville's finest, announces her heritage. It's a visual gag but one that immediately sets the tone for this short comedy. The story itself uses repetition to make its comic points and Pequeño's delivery - oozing mock-seriousness - ensures that each joke lands on target. There is potential here, not simply as a comedy performer but also as a writer and Lola is a comic creation to match Googie Gomez in terms of versatility.
Paul Vale (Theatre critic for The Stage)
Marta is a dynamic performer who engages her audience completely. LOLA IN LONDON is a witty, poignant and seriously funny piece of theatre dealing with the complicated relationship of a man and woman in love.
I laughed, cried and left wanting to see more from this talented writer and performer.
Joan Kane (Theatre Director and Producer)
Marta Pequeño's portrayal of Lola was the highlight of the Festival - professional, committed and with terrific comic timing.
Patrick Wilde (Theatre Director and TV writer)
It is a lovely piece of writing and Marta Pequeño’s delivery was spellbinding.
Roger Goldsmith (Writer and producer)
I loved Lola, it was one of the stand out pieces of the finals!
Emma Taylor (Artistic Director at Canal Cafe Theatre)
Lola is a bold and assured piece that balances humour and drama with thoughtful storytelling. The story of a fierce young Spanish woman in London is delivered with confidence and maturity. Whilst being a solo performance, other characters are rendered with such texture and nuanced performances that you feel all their entanglements. Throughout, it remains a careful blend of humour and seriousness and it's to the credit of Marta's performance that she balances both sides so seamlessly. I can’t recommend the piece enough.
Well worth the watch!
Rajee Su (Organiser of Theatro Technis’ Scratch Night)
Lola in London has been performed at the Tristan Bates Theatre and Theatro Technis in 2014, at the LOST Theatre, the Arts Theatre, the Cafeteatret in Oslo (Norway) and at the White Bear Theatre – in July and November – 2015, at the Cockpit Theatre and Tristan Bates in 2016, always having a great audience response and feedback.
Lola in London is a comedic one-woman show that explores Spanish stereotypes making the audience subtly realise what is really behind them through humour and Lola’s story.
The stereotype which is most explored in this piece is the 'passionate/aggresive Spanish man' represented here by Fernando - Lola's boyfriend. She sometimes mentions her abusive and destructive relationship in a casual and comedic way. But the audience doesn't realise what Lola is actually going through till the end of the piece where a subtle twist takes place.
Marta Pequeño is the writer, director and actor of this piece. She’s a Spanish actress based in London and Madrid. She graduated from the MA in Acting at East 15 Acting School in 2014. She likes creating new theatre and telling stories that entertain while also carrying and important message – which she thinks she has achieved with Lola in London.
More info about Marta can be found on this website.
A one-woman show in development by Marta Pequeño
Lola is Spanish. Very Spanish. She is trying to find herself in London but flamenco, tapas, bullfighting and a jealous boyfriend are getting in the way.
The performance of Lola in London by Marta Pequeño was a hypnotic look at a Spanish woman’s relationship with her matador boyfriend. Comic, at times darkly so, this piece showcased Pequeño’s talent and led the audience into a world of passion and violence which ended with a forcefully hard-hitting revelation.
Elke Wiebalck
Everything Theatre
Pequeño manages to convey every second of this sketch with a profound message about stereotypes and the cruel reality of domestic violence, overflowing at all times with humor and charisma.
Cristina Lago
La Tundra Magazine
Pequeño addressed the audience – forthright and without fear [...] exploring big themes while paradoxically employing subtlety.
Michael Davis
Female Arts
I particularly liked ‘Lola in London’ with its mixture of humour, pathos and almost horror as Lola described her life in the Metropolis in great detail, both the good and the bad sides of it.
Terry Eastham
London Theatre 1
Finalist of the LOST Theatre’s 5 Minute Festival 2015
Selected by the industry panel formed by: Patrick Wilde, Paul Vale and Pete Shaw.
The humour of this monologue is established from the outset, as the protagonist dressed head to toe in Seville's finest, announces her heritage. It's a visual gag but one that immediately sets the tone for this short comedy. The story itself uses repetition to make its comic points and Pequeño's delivery - oozing mock-seriousness - ensures that each joke lands on target. There is potential here, not simply as a comedy performer but also as a writer and Lola is a comic creation to match Googie Gomez in terms of versatility.
Paul Vale (Theatre critic for The Stage)
Marta is a dynamic performer who engages her audience completely. LOLA IN LONDON is a witty, poignant and seriously funny piece of theatre dealing with the complicated relationship of a man and woman in love.
I laughed, cried and left wanting to see more from this talented writer and performer.
Joan Kane (Theatre Director and Producer)
Marta Pequeño's portrayal of Lola was the highlight of the Festival - professional, committed and with terrific comic timing.
Patrick Wilde (Theatre Director and TV writer)
It is a lovely piece of writing and Marta Pequeño’s delivery was spellbinding.
Roger Goldsmith (Writer and producer)
I loved Lola, it was one of the stand out pieces of the finals!
Emma Taylor (Artistic Director at Canal Cafe Theatre)
Lola is a bold and assured piece that balances humour and drama with thoughtful storytelling. The story of a fierce young Spanish woman in London is delivered with confidence and maturity. Whilst being a solo performance, other characters are rendered with such texture and nuanced performances that you feel all their entanglements. Throughout, it remains a careful blend of humour and seriousness and it's to the credit of Marta's performance that she balances both sides so seamlessly. I can’t recommend the piece enough.
Well worth the watch!
Rajee Su (Organiser of Theatro Technis’ Scratch Night)
Lola in London has been performed at the Tristan Bates Theatre and Theatro Technis in 2014, at the LOST Theatre, the Arts Theatre, the Cafeteatret in Oslo (Norway) and at the White Bear Theatre – in July and November – 2015, at the Cockpit Theatre and Tristan Bates in 2016, always having a great audience response and feedback.
Lola in London is a comedic one-woman show that explores Spanish stereotypes making the audience subtly realise what is really behind them through humour and Lola’s story.
The stereotype which is most explored in this piece is the 'passionate/aggresive Spanish man' represented here by Fernando - Lola's boyfriend. She sometimes mentions her abusive and destructive relationship in a casual and comedic way. But the audience doesn't realise what Lola is actually going through till the end of the piece where a subtle twist takes place.
Marta Pequeño is the writer, director and actor of this piece. She’s a Spanish actress based in London and Madrid. She graduated from the MA in Acting at East 15 Acting School in 2014. She likes creating new theatre and telling stories that entertain while also carrying and important message – which she thinks she has achieved with Lola in London.
More info about Marta can be found on this website.
