Pepe Viyuela's Radical Timon of Athens Shakes Up Mérida Festival

Actor Pepe Viyuela headlined a daring production of Shakespeare’s rarely performed play Timon of Athens at the Festival of Mérida, staged in the city’s Roman theatre. Directed by Hernán Gené, the performance presented a stark, gothic setting with black drapes and minimal scenery, punctuated by music from the Beatles and Madonna.

Viyuela, known for lighter comedic roles, delivered an intense, anti‑capitalist monologue in which the titular Timon transforms from a generous noble into a misanthropic critic of money and social bonds. The staging, the first Spanish performance of the play in about a dozen years, has drawn attention for its political tone and for reviving a work that was last shown in Mérida eighteen years ago.