Antonio Gala:  THE BELLS OF ORLEANS (Los buenos días perdidos).
    Translated by Edward Borsoi.  1993.

A tragicomedy in 2 acts, set in Spain in the last years of the Franco era.  The transypt of a sixteenth-century church has been converted into living quarters for Doña Hortensia, an ex-madam, and her simple son, Cleofás, who is married to dimwitted Consuelito.  A fourth character, Lorenzo, comes among them to offer some hope for a better life.  Through the interplay of the characters and lively dialogue, two of the author's characteristic themes are presented:  a search for paradise and the demythification of heroes or supposed saviors.

• One set
  2 men, 2 women plus, 1 man with no speaking part and 1 man's voice offstage

  World premiere:  Dir. José Luis Alonso, Madrid, 1972.  Major revival:  Madrid, 1991.  Staged reading of English translation presented in 1990:  Dir. Jeff Storer, Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida.

  Contact translator:  Edward Borsoi, Dept. of  Foreign Languages, Campus Box 2702, Rollins College, Winter Park, FL 32789-4499; Phone: 407-841-0496; or author through SGAE

• The Bells of Orleans, Original production, Madrid, 1972. Directed by José Luis Alonso. Photo by Manuel Martínez Muñoz.