The vicissitudes of life of Irene Polo
with Things you only know when you’re deadthe company Q-ars Theater brings to the scene journalistic work and life’s vicissitudes d‘Irene Polo (Barcelona, 1908 – Buenos Aires, 1942), the most important reporter of the Second Republic in Barcelona. Anna Güelldirector of the company and of the piece, explains that they thought of dedicating a show to him after reading the books The fascination of journalism. Chronicles 1930-1936 (Quaderns Crema, 2003) and, more recently, The American years of Irene Polo (Cal Carré, 2024), both edited by Gloria Santa Maria i Pilar Tur. The author of the text, Francis Salgadoa specialist in journalism and gender, has studied Polo’s life and work in depth – he has just edited a volume entitled An intruder in the press (Renaissance, 2025). The encounter between the company and the scholar and playwright was providential.
the actress Angels Sanchez assumes the voice of Irene Polo and brings us her biographical account in the first person. The journey, very well documented and full of small details and anecdotes, takes us back to humble family origins, self-taught training, work as a typist and the first interviews in a film magazine. Then came the great chronicles, the trip to America, the falling in love – always with extraordinary women – and the suicide.
Intrepid, committed journalism and an exciting life
Polo, who had to make his way in a male environment, for a long time did not sign his articles: “Working was one thing, and existing another.” He did incisive and dynamic investigative journalism at a time of much social conflict: some of his reports—on begging, on the miners’ strike, etc.—had a lot of resonance. In January 1936, when he was managing the newspaper’s editorial staff Last Hourleft everything to embark on a tour of Latin America as the actress’ personal secretary Margaret Xirgu. In Buenos Aires I would meet fascinating figures like Salvador Medina i Victorina Duránamong others. When the company dissolved in 1939, he was unable to return to Barcelona: the tour became exile.
In a more biographical part – illustrated with documentary material and set with an effective soundtrack – the unfolding of the character takes place in the form of a shadow and a voice-over: “You were a danger, a transgression”. The aim of this resource – explains Salgado – is to facilitate an internal dialogue or debate that allows her to express the moral doubts that tormented her.
The proposal, restitution of the “lost story” about a charismatic and brave journalist, seems tailor-made for the Q-ars Teatre company, always interested in giving stage form to literary and biographical documents in a feminist key and of historical memory – we think of Carol (2018) of Maria Aurelia Capmany i Backlights (2020) of Victor Catalan. We really need to recover the talent, the slowing down and the fight of figures like Irene Polo. Run to meet her!
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