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Pablo, I imagine you were already
familiar with the figure of Houdini?
Yes, I knew who he was and many of
his achievements, although of course,
after reading several of his biogra-
phies I now know much more about
the man and the artist behind them.
He was undoubtedly a genius, with
his lights and shadows, but above all
with a talent and an obsession with
being the best that made him the most
famous person of his time.
To portray Houdini, the preparation
is perhaps more demanding than
for other characters: you sing, dan-
ce, act and also perform illusion
and escapology numbers. How did
you prepare physically for the role?
From the moment I knew I would be
playing Houdini, I started a specific
exercise routine to be able to perform
this character in all his facets. I had to
be very strong, because many of the
numbers require quite a good physi-
cal condition to execute them, but at
the same time I had to stay flexible
for some of the tricks, so I needed to
balance my training routines very ca-
refully.
And of course, I had to learn to per-
form the tricks like a professional ma-
gician, which required many hours of
rehearsal to try to do them with the
same ease as someone who has
spent their whole life at it.
And regarding the acting side, did
you do anything special to prepare?
Well, I read and studied several of his
biographies and watched some films
and documentaries about Houdini. I
also talked a lot with Federico Bello-
ne (director and author of the show)
to be very clear about the approach
we wanted to take, since ultimately it
is a fictional piece about a man who
really existed.
You tap dance with such elegance
that it seems effortless. Where did
you learn it?
PWell, I had never tap danced in
my life, except for a small number in
A Chorus Line, and it has been one
of the things I found hardest in the
end, because it is very difficult—es-
pecially when you also have to sing
at the same time. In fact, there was
a moment during rehearsals when
CINEMA IN THE SUITCASE
I thought I wouldn’t be able to do it,
and I even suggested not doing it at
all—letting the others dance while I
just sang the song. But little by little I
started feeling better, and after dedi-
cating many hours to it, it seems I’ve
finally managed to pull it off.
What is there of Houdini in you? He
was fearless, unstoppable, nothing
stood in his way.
Well, if there is anything of Houdini
in me, it’s that madness when it co-
mes to facing new challenges, becau-
se saying yes to this character, with
everything it entails, was an act of
temporary insanity, hahahaha… It is
very risky in every sense, and althou-
gh now I’m happier than ever with one
of my jobs, the path to get here has
been anything but easy.
What would you highlight about
your castmates Julia Möller and
Christian Escuredo?
Well, apart from the obvious—that
they are two extraordinary perfor-
mers, incredibly talented, with ama-
zing voices and enormous truth when
acting—I’d say that as people, they
are just as wonderful. And the same
goes for Juan dos Santos, who has
been a great discovery.
ou had already worked with Julia.
How was the reunion?
Well, as it could only be: magnificent.
In fact, I agreed to this project when I
learned she was going to be my part-
ner on stage. For me, she is the finest
female musical theatre performer in
Spain, and being able to work with her
again is a privilege.
What would you like the audience
to say when they leave the theatre?
I’d love for them to leave having en-
joyed themselves, having laughed,
having been moved—and above all,
having been blown away by the tricks.
I believe Houdini is a total show—
if you let yourself go, you enjoy a
great story, with very careful staging
and an amount of surprises that has
no equal in Madrid right now.
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