Generational conflict and its surroundings

PalmaLiteral, by Xavier Uriz, directed by Sergio Baos and starring Baos himself, Marga López, and Laura Morónez, with the musical collaboration of Miquel Femenias on drums, is a parodic comedy with a metaphysical background. Calling the context interesting is an understatement. It ranges from the problems of a Philosophy professor in the first quarter of the 21st century facing his teenage students, to the consequences of this generational gap. Among them, and I believe he leaves none untouched, are his marriage, through which he explores couple conflict, the universal and timeless struggle between parents and children—father and daughter in this case—, feminism with all its branches and aspects, contemporary art, which does not come off very well, the non-existent intergenerational respect, the exponential increase of the far-right among young generations, and that of some boomer who is nostalgic and wants unconditional recognition for his hypothetical values, which, on the other hand, he does not even know who or what they are, or even the protagonist's intestinal problems as a connecting link, as a common thread, among them all, with Nietzsche or Kant as a MacGuffin for the resolution of them all.

It is clear that the endeavor is ambitious. Perhaps a bit too much to be able to put it on the table with full relevance. There are many themes and with a lot of specific weight, which Uriz resolves with a light brushstroke. In a caricature style, very much Baos, it takes away its transcendence, which makes it clear that Literal is an exhibition of the contemporaneity that surrounds us, without the intention of going further, like a still photo, very panoramic, of the reality that, as if it were nothing, has settled in the living room and taken over the sofa.

On the other hand, both Marga López and Laura Moróñez have to play different roles, a bit overacted to highlight the differences between one and the other, to the rhythm marked by Femenias and his drums, which adds a good dose of originality to such an unreachable proposal.