A scenic journey towards wonder, inviting us to look at the world as if for the first time and in a different way.
Thauma is a journey through a mind filled with wonder. It functions as a poetic game, in which what is above and what is below, the background and the foreground, the large and the small, become blurred, creating different ways of seeing the same thing.
It follows the conventions of the graphic novel and object theatre, presenting a landscape that gradually unfolds, revealing its inner workings.
Thauma is a scenic poem focused on our capacity for wonder and for remaining suspended in a poetic realm that has no purpose, no conclusion, no closure.
An unmissable visual and sensory experience, which appeals to humour, beauty, mystery and the unexpected – to a sense of wonder that does not formulate thought, but which may be the seed of thought itself.
This show features strobe lighting effects.
Awards:
-Barcelona Critics’ Award 2025 – Nuevas tendências (New Trends);
-Teatre Barcelona Award 2024 – Escena Híbrida (Hybrid Stage);
-Golden Dragon Award for Best Show (International Jury); Best Set Design and Most Innovative Proposal – Fira de Titelles de Lleida;
-Max Awards 2025 – Best Stage Design.
“The Box of Wonders
Thauma is an appealing, enjoyable and easily accessible production. In other words, it’s suitable for all tastes, ages and types of audience. Is there anything more universal than simply looking and being amazed? An audience of young and old alike were captivated by this play.
It is a contemporary production for all audiences, a clever hybrid, a pop show with a Brossian and avant-garde atmosphere (…).
(…) I can say, and I do say, without any embarrassment whatsoever, that this show ought to tour the whole world. And I am absolutely certain it would work just as well everywhere. Because our capacity for wonder knows no boundaries. And because it is lovely, every now and then, to go to the theatre and let ourselves be surprised.” – Oriol Puigtaulé, Núvol
“This has never been seen before in theatre
Plato and Aristotle regarded Thauma (wonder) as the driving force behind wisdom and, therefore, the very foundation of philosophy itself. Andreu Martínez and Magda Puig Torres have taken this concept and turned it into a theatrical production that is as unusual here as it is successful. Although it does not set out to philosophise, the play focuses on captivating and astonishing. Yes, it really is astonishing.” – Santi Fondevila, Now
“Surrealist surprise
The aesthetic favours surprise, playing with the idea of imagining new worlds. It has a clear focal point, though with an almost unattainable camera angle. (…)
(…) The interplay is constant. The visual artistry, absolute. At times, one can imagine moments of a cataclysm befalling humanity; at others, a disproportionate romp featuring a dinosaur battling a helicopter, much like the gorilla and the aeroplanes in King Kong.” – Jordi Bordes, Recomana.cat
“The production is delightful, a burst of imagination and ingenuity. It all stems from that Brossian premise of surprise, of allowing oneself to be surprised. Achieving this is a major challenge for the artist: how does one provoke a sense of wonder in the audience? They use everything: remote-controlled objects, circus techniques, movement, text (…).
Thauma should be at next year’s Kunstenfestivaldesartes in Brussels, in Stockholm, in Strasbourg, in Vienna… Make it happen.” – Andreu Gomila, Temps de les Arts
BIO
La Mula is a theatre company founded by Magda Puig Torres and Andreu Martínez Costa. It is a theatre company that works at the intersection of the visual arts, puppetry and space. It is interested in perception, its alteration and play. Viewing the stage as a space for experimentation, its work is characterised by visual theatre and research into visual dramaturgy.
Magda Puig is a creator interested in the intersection between the performing and visual arts. She was artist-in-residence at Teatre Lliure during the 2023–24 season. Andreu Martínez Costa is an actor, puppeteer, director and researcher, working across Catalonia, France and Canada. He has collaborated with the companies Philippe Genty and El Conde de Torrefiel and is currently an associate artist with the Franco-Norwegian company Plexus Polaire, where he took part in the productions Moby Dick and Cendres, presented at previous editions of FIMFA.
