| Theatre
'Henry VIII'

The company Rakata-Golden Foundation was selected by the Globe Theatre in London to represent Spain in the Cultural Olympiad organized to coincide with the 2012 Olympics. And assigned to it the production of Henry VIII, Shakespeare's historical drama in which the co-protagonist is Catherine of Aragon, daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella and first wife of the king.

Directed by Ernesto Arias, Henry VIII premiered at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre achieving one of the greatest successes of these cultural Olympics. It was the first time a Spanish company performed at the legendary London stage. Now to be seen on the national stages in a tour produced by the International University of La Rioja in the framework of UNITE Alumni Meetings on stage.

The production is characterized by an austere stage design in which three gates and two columns comprise the whole decoration. Fourteen actors give life to sixteen characters, including Fernando Gil (Henry VIII), Elena Gonzalez (Catherine of Aragon) and Sara Morales (Anne Boleyn). Jose Padilla and Rafael Lavin were in charge of adapting the text, in which the Spanish queen takes on greater prominence than in the original work.

If triumphed in London, the critical and commercial success also pursues this version of Henry VIII in Spain, obtaining fourteen nominations for the Max awards.