About
"The quality of life depends on the questions you ask"
August Wilson
Aida is a Spanish-Italian director and dramaturg based in London and working internationally.
As a migrant theatre-maker, her life has been marked by the strive to belong and the experience of being other. As such, in her work, Aida seeks to blur boundaries by celebrating otherness.
Using Active Analysis and techniques derived from her Psychology background, she works in classics, adaptations, multimedia devising, cabaret, translation and new writing.
Aida is currently a Creative Associate at Jermyn Street Theatre.
With my theatre, I seek to:
Celebrate Otherness,
Foster Belonging
Building Bridges
Asking Questions
My father drove my family around the world to study bridges: he was a civil engineer. He was also an Italian in Spain, so I grew up between two cultures. Then, I left my country to be the Spaniard abroad.
In my work, I also aim to build bridges: bridges create solid, elegant structures for connection, for belonging. Through adaptation, translation, and new writing, we can build bridges between cultures, between times, and between disciplines.
I studied Psychology because I wanted to understand the contradictions in human behaviour. But soon I realised that psychological research can give us one theory that works “on average”.
Theatre allows us to find our personal answer, an answer that resonates inside of you, not just intellectually. Yet, like science, theatre is driven by inexhaustible questioning and curiosity.
DIRECTING
Classics and Adaptations
Cabaret
New Writing and Translations
My directing practice is greatly influenced by my time in the American Repertory Theatre, Russia, and London and by the training I received by directors such as Konstantin Raikin and Daniel Kramer.
As a director, I combine Active Analysis, adapted Viewpoints work, and multimedia devising. I have worked in venues ranging from black-box theatre to immersive site-specific spaces.
As a cabaret manager, I designed and run weekly and shows shows for a popular London venue, and corporate events for clients such as the L’Oreal, Moët Chandon and the Royal family.
DRAMATURGY
PRODUCTION DRAMATURGY
RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
EMBODIED TRANSLATION
I have worked as dramaturg in theatre and opera for artists such as Diane Paulus, Daniel Kramer, and V (formerly Eve Ensler). Additionally, I have conducted dramaturgical research for institutions such as the ENO, and read scripts for institutions (A.R.T.), awards (Theatre Uncut), and producers (David Adkin).
I speak English, Spanish, Italian and Russian. As part of my purpose to build bridges, I translate plays from Italian and Spanish to English (and viceversa). By combining directing and dramaturgy, I’m developing a new way of translating called “embodied translation” that places performers at the core of the translating process.
TRAINING
2022
Clore Leadership Emerging Leaders
2020
Young Vic Director Springboard
JMK Empowering Women Directors
2019
MA (with Distinction) in Advanced Theatre Practice (Royal Central School of Speech and Drama)
2016
Acting Intensive (Konstantin Raikin International School)
MFA in Dramaturgy and Theatre Studies (American Repertory Theatre/Moscow Art Theatre Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard University)
2014
B.A. Magna Cum Laude in Psychology (Harvard University)
Photo credits in this page: Patricio SJ, Hao-yeh Wang, Giulia del Preato, Inception Group.