Alberto Velasco (Valladolid, 1983) is an actor, director, choreographer and author. He is part of the cast of Tiresiasat the Mérida Festival, and is on tour with his dance show Move mountainsa plea against fatphobia.
When did you know you would dedicate yourself to theatre? The desire to dedicate myself to the stage professionally came to me as a teenager when I learned that there was a career called Dramatic Arts… Once inside, even with doubts about a possible future in which that would be my profession, the will was transformed into work, commitment, curiosity and verification. There was no turning back.
What role did you just miss out on? I don’t know if it was “by the skin of my teeth”, but there is a role for which I auditioned and that ultimately did not come out. Youth, by Paolo Sorrentino. I would have gone crazy to work with him and be part of his very special universe.
What does an actor learn from writing? And a director from dancing? I think it is very beneficial for an artist to explore as many avenues of expression as possible. They broaden your creative universe and help you put yourself in the shoes of others, not only on an artistic or psychological level, but also on a practical level. It helps you better understand everything that makes up the artistic experience and will inevitably make your vision richer and more multifaceted.
What is the nicest thing anyone has said to you about your job? That is inspiring. This excites me especially and gives meaning and strength to what I do.
And the most extravagant thing? That’s right. It’s extravagant, strange. Which for me is profoundly positive.
What have you learned about a stage that can’t be learned in a book? To dive into the gazes. There is something magical in that connection, that empty and living space between one eye and another that opens millions of readings and universes. Whether between colleagues or between the public and the scene.
What book do you have open on your nightstand? Orlandoby Virginia Woolf. It was time to get into this novel, motivated by my participation in the Orlando which will be directed by Marta Pazos at the CDN in spring 2025.
The last one you loved? The Manchaby Enrique Aparicio or Plateauby Rubén Cañadilla. I have seen myself reflected in both of them and both have moved me, amused me and moved me. I have devoured them.
And one that couldn’t be finished? I gave you eyes and you saw the darkness, by Irene Solà. It’s very wild. I think I started it at a personal moment when I didn’t connect with the universe in those pages, although it fascinated me, it was impossible to finish it… I’ll try again later.
Who are your top three playwrights? Angelica Liddell, Pablo Gisbert (El Conde de Torrefiel) and Marcos Morau (I include a choreographer because I believe that dramaturgy always goes beyond dramatic literature and because it fascinates me).
In which play or dance would you like to live? Cafe Müller, by Pina Baush (Tanztheater Wuppertal).
What is the movie you have seen the most times? All about my motherby Pedro Almodóvar.
The last series you watched in one go? The person in charge, by Mariano Cohn and Gastón Duprat (brutal).
If you had to use a song as a self-portrait, what would it be? You who come to haunt me, by Maria Arnal & Marcel Bagés.
What is socially overrated? The normative. Not only is it overrated, but it generates patterns of unhappiness that are incompatible with the construction of a pleasant life. I think we have to commit ourselves to the deconstruction of the norm, to the breaking of that immovable idea. Cracks open up from the margins, but it is not enough; the alliance of those who are protected by that norm is needed. Being part of the normative does not prevent you from empathizing and pointing out the injustices, violence and pressures of the system.
What assignment would you never accept? Anything that was a vehicle for an idea contrary to my principles. I would also not accept any assignment that involved working with people with difficult personalities. For me, love has long been more important than talent, and even more so in work teams as fragile as artistic ones.
What is the historical event that you most admire? Popular uprisings against the oppressive system, from all over the world. From Stonewall to the Carnation Revolution, passing through the 1977 LGBTI rights demonstration in Barcelona or the 15-M.
Who would you give the next Max of Honor to? A La Ribot. She is young if we take into account the average age of the winners in this category, but I think that her work has always been one step ahead, breaking the boundaries of multidisciplinarity and questioning the limits of theatre and its relationship with the public. She is a great role model.
If she hadn’t dedicated herself to theatre and dance, she would be… Writer, painter or… who knows? If I leave aside the artistic, I would have liked to dedicate my life to making this society a little better, perhaps through politics or activism.
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