• Overview
• Staging information
• Translations
• Sample translations
• Production history

Scene

Hamelin is divided into seventeen scenes, each verbally introduced by the Commentator in the format ‘Hamelin, Scene One’, and so on. Whereas the action in the play is spread out over several areas of the town, such as Montero’s office and Josemari’s family home, everything takes place within the same minimalistic performance space.

Chronological and Spatial Structure of Scenes

Although in scene 9 the Commentator notes that it is up to spectators to decide the time periods in the play, this character nevertheless delineates a relatively clear chronological structure.

According to the Commentator’s chronological information, Hamelin takes place over a period of around a month. Scene 1 takes place in Montero’s office, immediately followed by scene 2 as he returns home to his wife and child. Scene 3 takes place, it is implied, perhaps the next day or a few days after the press conference as Montero returns to his office to interview the suspect, Pablo Rivas, for the first time. Scene 4 takes place on the same day as the interview with Rivas. It is later in the day, around 23:00, as Montero leaves his office and walks the streets before returning home.

Scene 5 takes place the next day as Montero interviews Josemari’s parents. Scene 6 takes place on the same day as Scene 5. The interview with Josemari’s parents is interrupted as Montero is called to his own son’s school because Jaime has been creating trouble. Scene 7 takes place the next day as Josemari is interviewed by Montero. Scene 8 is a short scene that takes place over the next few days and that describes the continuation of the investigation.

In scene 9 the Commentator tells the audience that some time has passed. This is a long scene that moves location from Montero’s office, a cafe, the streets of the city and then back to Montero's office. Scene 10 takes place around two weeks later as Montero interviews Rivas again. Scene 11 follows the former as Montero dispatches Rivas late at night and decides to take a walk to the apartment where Josemari lives. In scene 12 Montero returns from his visit to Josemari’s parents' house to his own home where he learns that Jaime, his son, has been expelled from school. Time jumps forward throughout scene 13. The Commentator mentions Raquel’s first, second and third visit to Josemari – who is now in a care home. The action in this scene then moves forward in time, as the Commentator describes an encounter between Raquel and Montero in a cafe after Raquel’s fifth visit to Josemari.

Scene 14 takes place in a bar, at an unspecified period of time later, in which Montero meets Gonzalo, Josemari’s brother. Scene 15 occurs on Josemari’s birthday (an unspecified date) in the care home where he has been sent. Scene 16 takes place that same night as Montero is confronted outside his house by Paco. They go to a bar to talk. Scene 17 shows Montero returning home, then leaving again to walk all night round the streets. Eventually he arrives early in the morning at the care home where Josemari now lives.

Staging

Hamelin is a play with a Commentator, or internal narrator, who bridges the gap between the action on stage and the audience. This figure is a constant presence throughout the play, interrupting and commenting on what is taking place. The play is novelistic in style as the Commentator moves the action forward and back in time, and describes images that the audience do not see on stage. The Commentator makes it clear that the play is to be staged in a minimalistic fashion. Therefore, Montero’s office, Josemari’s family home, Jaime’s school, the streets walked by Montero, Montero and Julia’s house, and the care home that Josemari is sent to are all conveyed by the same minimalistic space. In addition, some characters mentioned by the Commentator, such as Jaime or the Girl in the Corridor, may not actually be present on stage. They may form part of the images invoked orally and aurally by the Commentator that do not appear in the minimalistic performance.

The Commentator does provide some specific staging information:

• The little boy in the play, Josemari, is performed by a grown-up actor who, the audience is informed, does not try to act like a child.
• Montero is a smoker and in some productions does indeed smoke on stage.
• In scene 9 the accused, Pablo Rivas, appears for interview again. He is described to the audience as being five kilograms lighter than before.

Music

At the end of the play, the Commentator suggests that music could be played, perhaps flute music.

In some of the Spanish-language productions music by Michael Jackson was heard. In others, violinists and cellists performed incidental music.

Cast number

Minimum	Maximum
5 males	8 males
1 female	5 females
7 (total)	12 (total)

Cast information

The number of actors required, in addition to the gender make-up of the cast, can vary. Some of the characters may or may not appear on stage, for example the Girl in Corridor and Jaime, Montero's son. Other characters can double up. One female actor could play Feli, Raquel and Julia. One male actor could play Paco and Gonzalo. The Commentator has been performed by both female and male actors.

Characters

• COMMENTATOR, Internal narrator who can be male or female
• MONTERO, The investigating judge
• JULIA, Montero’s wife
• PABLO RIVAS, Wealthy businessman accused of abusing Josemari
• PACO, Josemari’s father
• FELI, Josemari’s mother
• RAQUEL GALVEZ, Child psychologist
• JOSEMARI, Ten-year-old boy at the centre of the action
• GIRL IN CORRIDOR, Minor character who asks Montero for a light when he visits Josemari’s apartment
• GONZALO, Josemari’s eighteen-year-old brother
• TRANSCRIBER
• JAIME, Montero’s son

Entry written by Gwynneth Dowling. Last updated on 6 October 2010.

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