Q. Can you tell me the beginning of your readings?
A. I come from a traditional family committed to village life, I went on stage already in my mother’s belly, and then I played children’s roles at the age of four. The literature was already there.
Q. In the form of a play?
A. In my house there was a small theater bookstore and many people came to look for skits, hors d’oeuvres, legends, and in the attic we had the library of Catalan writers. Folch i Torres, for example.
Q. And start reading.
A. My two older brothers introduced me to comic magazines, with Roberto Alcázar and Pedrín, and The war exploits written by various authors.
Q. The first book that marks you?
R. The extraordinary adventures of Massagran, by Josep Maria Folch i Torres. I discovered the idea of adventure, travel. And I entered the world of Jules Verne, that of bizarre characters, impossible journeys. Literature that fed my spirit of adventure.
Q. Story reader, then.
A. All my life. Then I went to Barcelona, to the Institut del Teatre, and at the end of the course we put on the play Non plus plis and that’s where Comedians was born.
Q. Did you have teachers who influenced you?
R. Jaume Vidal i Alcover and María Aurèlia Campmany, who was very important to me, vital, feminist, close, endearing. Her work is a great legacy. With Vidal I took my first plane trip.
Q. In Catalan?
A. Yes, and there was some trouble! I have also performed stories around the world. They are present in my life. The altarpiece of wonders of Cervantes I directed it on sainetes and hors d’oeuvres.
Q. Do you recommend stories?
A. Those by Ramón Besora are very graphic, illustrated, simple stories.
Q. Any unexpected discoveries?
R. Roald Dahl, you don’t finish it.
Q. Nearby authors?
R. Ramon Gener, with History of a piano. Albert Espinosa, with The night we heard each other.
Q. What does a book mean?
A. I am in love with the book as an object, how they smell, how they open, plastic books.
