We play so hard it hurts

Name: We play so hard it hurts - Fernando Troya
Start: 2025-03-01T20:30:00+01:00
Location: Frascati

Fernando Troya

Fri 28 Feb ’25 and Sat 1 Mar ’25

“I have traveled to Neverland and have met many Lost Boys. Lost men pretending to be Lost Boys”

Fri 28 Feb ’25

and

Sat 1 Mar ’25

Fri 28 Feb ’25

20:30

Frascati

Frascati 1

Tickets

Sat 1 Mar ’25

20:30

Frascati

Frascati 1

Tickets

We play so hard it hurts is a solo directed and performed by Fernando Troya. Delving into the subterranean realms of cruising culture and the quest for intimacy amidst darkness, the production emerges as a testament to the transformative power of resilience.

We play so hard it hurts synthesizes autobiographical traces with the timeless allegory of Peter Pan to excavate and celebrate the complexities of queer identity. Through a relentless commitment to authenticity, Troya playfully exhibits his adventure. The piece navigates spaces between performance, dance, and theater. And uses 10 mattresses as a living stage design.

Engaging in a dialogue with space, constructing and deconstructing new evocative architectures, enhancing the metaphorical imagery of the show. An allegory to where many of us remain trapped in a world of perpetually frustrated discovery, where play becomes a lifestyle.

For We play so hard it hurts, Fernando Troya received the International Bursary Award at Amsterdam Fringe 2024. From the jury report:

"Although Fernando Troya’s exploration of identity, sexuality, and vulnerability is personal, it never comes across as self-indulgent. On the contrary, 'We play so hard it hurts' is a raw and honest portrayal of his experiences within the gay cruising scene, using ten mattresses to create unique visual imagery. Troya’s background in classical ballet adds extra layers of depth to the choreography, which, combined with the scenography, brings the piece to life in a technically stunning way." Theaterkrant

Credits

direction & performance Fernando Troya assistant direction Román Méndez de Hevia music Marko Ivic lighting design Yuka Hisamatsu (and Samuel Silva) texts José Andrés López (Spanish version), Barnaby Savage (English version) & Fernando Troya acting coach & dramaturgy assistant Barnaby Savage physical assistance Quentin Roger & Ignacio Sanz assistance, thinkers & dramaturges Ignacio Sanz, Rosanna Freda, Samuel Silva, Arturo Vargas, Quentin Roger, Marko Ivic, José Andrés López & Xavier Ariza Pujol production & distribution Rosanna Freda & Fernando Troya business coach Martijn Schipper

In the press

"Although Fernando Troya's exploration of identity, sexuality, and vulnerability is personal, it is never self-indulgent. On the contrary, 'We Play So Hard It Hurts' is a raw and honest portrayal of his experiences within the gay cruising scene." Theaterkrant

About Fernando Troya

Fernando Troya (1989) is a performing artist and the director of A Pelo Productions. He is based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Born in Madrid, Spain, he is classically trained at the Royal Conservatory of Madrid ‘Mariemma’ (2008) and graduated from a BA in dance and choreography at the Superior Conservatory María de Ávila (2022). Professionally has danced for Goyo Montero, Stephan Thoss and with Netherlands Dance Theatre II. Since 2015 he has worked as an assistant and stager for choreographers such as Alexander Ekman, Ivan Pérez, Lukas Timulak and Jiri Pokorny. In companies all over the world: Finnish National Ballet, Czech National Ballet, Hungarian National Ballet, Royal New Zealand Ballet, among others.

As a maker he has produced independent projects, such as the series Reminiscente. A 2.5 years research on Plato's Theory of Form, and the painter Francisco de Goya, with five different dance creations, performed nationally and internationally.