Spanish Uprising: Citizens Revolt Against Price Hikes
Marga and Antonia’s Encounter with the Police
The police return, and Marga and Antonia are scared because a cop wanted to search the shelter. They were allegedly denied a pregnancy claim. They see a civil guard and pretend to be in labor so that they do not register anything, but they refuse to go to the hospital. However, the civil guard insists on taking them to a clinic, taking Marga and Antonia with him.
Joan Lluís Searches for His Wife
Joan Lluís appears at home looking for his wife, Marga, as she was not at home and everything was open. Joan Lluís tells his company that they have rebelled on the train, blocked roads, and demanded free transport to the corral. Joan tells him about Marga’s pregnancy, and Lluís says that’s not possible because his wife is barren. He demands that Joan tell him which hospital she is in. The play is very enjoyable, and you will laugh a lot. It tells the story of the crisis ironically and how people rebelled against paying.
The Play: *Ací No Paga Ni Déu!*
The play Ací No Paga Ni Déu! (Here, Nobody Pays!) has two acts: the first is divided into 10 scenes, and the second into 20.
Act I: Rising Prices and Rebellion
The first act deals with higher prices for everything. Joan works in a factory where workers have complained about the food and refused to pay. Joan comes home and finds out what happened to his wife. He complains about the incident and says he has seen a large group of women who have left the supermarket without paying, which he finds shameful. Joan is unaware that his wife, Antonia, was one of those women. Antonia, taking part in the women’s demonstration against rising prices and the cry of “Ací No Paga Ni Déu!”, took everything within reach and went home.
Antonia’s Lies and Stolen Goods
Once home, Antonia is visited by her neighbor, Marga. She tells her one lie after another but finally tells her the truth about the supermarket. They remove the stolen goods and see that there is also food for dogs and canaries. Antonia, frightened by Joan’s reaction, gives some of the food to Marga before her husband arrives and saves it in the shelter.
Joan’s Discovery and Antonia’s Deception
Upon leaving, Joan crosses paths with Marga. He comes home and tells his wife, Antonia, that he has found Marga looking fat. Antonia, a compulsive liar, tells Joan a pack of lies about a possible five-month pregnancy of Marga, who had concealed her tummy from her husband, Lluís, that day. The innocent Joan swallows everything. Antonia goes to Marga’s house, and during her absence, the police arrive to search the house. After a talk with the police, and saying that his wife was unable to steal anything, the police do not register anything.
Act II: Hiding the Stolen Food
In the second act, Marga and Antonia come home and decide to carry food to the office of Antonia’s father, in coats, pretending to be pregnant. Joan and Lluís are whirling around the city’s hospitals in search of their wives. They find a dump truck with sacks of flour, sugar, and rice and help recover the stolen goods because, as Joan says, it is a mortal sin. Lluís tells Joan that the factory is going to dismiss him, close, and move to another country. Then, Joan decides to steal bags and go home because Lluís caught them before the civil guard.
The Civil Guard’s Arrival and Antonia’s Ruse
The Civil Guard arrives at Joan’s home, where he finds Antonia and Marga with their bellies. He tries to arrest them, but Antonia’s fantasy makes us believe that the Guard is a miracle of St. Eulalia: all the women in the neighborhood have become pregnant at the same time and are in an advanced state, which the policeman does not believe. The civil guard gets hit, and Antonia hides him in her closet.
The Confession
Once the guard is hidden, Joan and Lluís appear. Joan’s father then goes to visit and delivers a letter stating that they will not be evicted because the rent is paid. Antonia had not paid for electricity and gas, and the father brings them food that Antonia had brought to his stand. Joan’s father leaves, and eventually, the four confess.