“There is a feeling of generalized exhaustion. That creates a hostile and little cozy environment, especially for those who join the company. ” These words of Ana (fictional name, like all of this article on a sector in which no one can play their job) represent the feeling of the performing arts professionals who tell their experiences to Somos Madrid. Techniques, accommodating, makeup artists, clothing responsible … .
With the Gran Vía turned into the nerve center of musicals in the country, the brightness of this Madrid artery contrasts with the conditions that regularly support these templates. Ana is part of the team of The lion kingflagship of this musical offer that is already in its 14th season based at the Lope de Vega Theater. “The work environment, in general, is very tense. The lack of professionalism and experience is evident, not only in our company, but in the sector in general, especially in the private part. Working conditions are so unfavorable that the shortage of trained technicians is growing and there is little interest on the part of new generations in learning this trade. ”
“My salary does not exceed 1,300 euros, with a retention of 14%. To this are added the constant extra hours every week due to the trials, the formation of new casts, general essays, additional maintenance or doubles, among others. Those extra hours, instead of paying, are compensated with free time. All trials are carried out before the function, which implies irregular schedules that vary week by week, generating great instability in our lives, ”explains Ana.
Difficulties that also concern the interpreters, as evidenced by the protagonist of Aladdín, Roc Bernardí, by collecting the award for best male leading interpretation in the musical theater awards. “No member of the cast of large productions should collect the minimum salary marked by agreement,” he demanded. He also claimed that producers “should not unsubscribe on vacation.” The discontent also extends to musicians, who in recent months have reinforced the collective organization to demand labor improvements. All this shows that, with its peculiarities, there is a precariousness pattern that is repeated beyond sectoral nuances.
Ana points out that one of the main concerns is in “the implementation of the 48 hours of consecutive libranza.” They currently only have Mondays free. “Although it may seem surprising,” he adds. “The Company Committee has informed us about the existence of a law that forces companies to grant these 48 hours of rest. We have been trying to implement this measure for more than a year, but the options proposed by the company end up worsening our quality of life and our family reconciliation, although they present them as improvements. ”
But Ana is not limited to diagnosis and proposes solutions: “From my point of view, we must keep the personnel motivated and well paid, give us what we really deserve. If we get this, the quality of the work will improve and the show as well. In the end, the dedication and well -being of the team are directly reflected in the final result. ” Stage Entertainment, producer of The lion kinghas not answered so far the questions transferred by this means about the labor claims in the team.
Limit and insecurity situations between marathon days
Ana’s requests are to a greater or lesser transverse extent in the sector, even throughout the music industry. In the case of Eva, in charge of the costumes in another musical of Gran Vía (ask to hide it as well as its real name to avoid possible reprisals), the experience is marked by the inequality that affects women. “Personally, I have suffered mistreatment by colleagues, reaching the point of locking myself in a bathroom to cry because I could not. I complained and nobody did anything, so the lack of humanity is common. Apart from this, I have had to endure bosses screaming in your face, and others touching your ass. And it doesn’t matter if you complain again and again; No one does anything. ”
It also regrets the improvable safety conditions: “The state of the theaters is decadent and dangerous. Above they require you to wear security footwear and only give you 50 miserable euros to buy it. Then it also seems that you have to thank them … ”
Eva’s story shakes her hand with Ana’s by mentioning the need for two consecutive rest days: “I have not released 48 hours in a row. Even many Mondays, which are the day I book, I have to travel on tour so I spend 15 days without resting. ” In their case, in addition, they do not even have vacations as such: “They say goodbye and then hire you again, so they do not pay them.”
I have not released 48 hours in a row. Even many Mondays, which are the day I book, I have to travel on tour so I spend 15 days without resting
“The salaries are low, and they always try to pay you for less, so you usually want to call human resources. But surprise: they do not answer you, neither email nor calls. Many colleagues owe us because the debts never come out, ”he says when talking about the strictly economic.
Difficulties and precariousness end up expelling many professionals from the sector. It is what happened to Luna, who does not want to reflect his real identity despite dedicating himself to another trade. He worked as a technique at the Rialto Theater, known above all for Mamma Mia!although she worked specifically in the musical THE LOCAS Cagewith Ángel Llàcer as the main claim.
“I started in the Rialto as a plaster, when I had not finished the race. For me it was a way to approach the world of the scene while studying. I became part of the team through Grupo Crit, a temporary work company that gave accommodation services external to the theater. Although the time I remember very intense and positive, the truth is that the contracts were fairly fair and unstable. One day they needed staff and the next one, although they always complied with what was signed. ”
Luna later stressed in the theaters of the Canal and, already without the participation of the ETT, toured the entire country for six months with Mecano Experience, a musical/tribute to the group that were integrated by Ana Torroja and the brothers José María and Nacho Cano. “On this occasion my task was more arduous, I had to make sure that the dancers and singers arrived well at their exits, as well as keeping the costumes in optimal conditions for each function. The work was rewarding while tired, it was many days away from home and always from one place to another. The conditions were different in this case because they hired me from the same musical, ”he says.
The salary inequality scenario is repeated beyond Gran Vía
Not all Madrid’s musicals concentrate on the Gran Vía. The Albéniz Theater (on the central street of La Paz) bets since its recovery in 2022 for this type of shows, and a year later came the one that has become its great bet: The opera ghost. For Lucia, “working in a musical of this magnitude is an incredible experience … but also exhausting and, in my case, unfair.”
“I was part of an apartment that, together with two others, lived in salary inequality with respect to our fellow men, despite occupying exactly the same head of Headquarters. And the worst thing is that it seemed some normalized, ”laments this worker who ended up leaving his post.
“To this it was added that for months we could not choose to fight our extra hours because there were no personnel that could replace us. In the end, we only freed on Mondays … as auction, we had to check the payrolls with magnifying glass, because many times the extra hours did not square and, casually, they always paid us less than we had worked. ” His story confirms that Libranzas and Extra hours are the great pending accounts of the sector.
I was part of an apartment that, together with two others, lived in salary inequality with respect to our fellow men, despite occupying exactly the same head of Headquarters. And the worst thing is that it seemed some normalized
He also directs his criticisms of the “lack of professionalism of the production department”: “There were times when basic tools or materials were missing for the show to move forward, and we were ourselves who had to go buy them. That was no longer part of our responsibilities, but there was no other if we wanted the function to be done well. ”
Letsgo is the producer of the Madrid adaptation of the musical conceived by Andrew Lloyd Weber, Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe. Sources of this company do answer the issues raised by this newspaper: “We rigorously comply with the legality of the agreement for our salary framework. In our productions we try that the company’s climate is always positive. We flatly denied the testimonies about salary inequality by gender or non -payment of overtime. Moreover, in Letsgo, unlike other companies, the technical team is offered the option of charging or riding overtime and, in case of wanting them, they are given the option to choose their days of libranza. For us, promoting the companionship and well -being of our cast and technical team is a priority. ”
Lucia disagree with this vision and especially emphasizes the physical and mental wear of the trade: “I cannot fail to mention how sacrificed this work is physically. The days are very long, the almost non -existent breaks, and in several scenes we exposed ourselves to real risks. Security sometimes felt more like a suggestion than as a priority. The theater has something magical, yes, but among the scenes an urgent review is needed so that all that effort is recognized, valued and, above all, fair. ”
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