Actor Lluís Homar travels across Spain with a monologue based on the work of Marguerite Yourcenar, where he embodies Emperor Hadrian. Despite the success of the show, Homar admits he has never seen the movie Gladiator, although he acknowledges that Roman roles have brought him great professional satisfaction. In a recent interview, he also confessed that he would have liked to be Marlon Brando, referring to the transformative charisma of the American actor.
Theatrical technology at the service of actor transformation 🎭
To bring Hadrian to life, Homar uses technical resources that go beyond the text. Dynamic lighting and immersive sound design allow the actor to transition between eras without changing costumes. Headset microphones with specific equalization are used to avoid vocal fatigue during the two-hour performance. A sensor tracking system adjusts the lighting to his movements, creating an immersive experience reminiscent of the study techniques Brando popularized in cinema.
Hadrian without Gladiator: the emperor who didn't see Russell Crowe 🎬
Homar, who strolls across stages in toga and sandals, hasn't seen Gladiator. Perhaps that's for the best: it avoids comparisons with Joaquin Phoenix's Commodus or Russell Crowe's Maximus. While other Roman actors sweat buckets in digital arenas, he simply recites Yourcenar in a deep voice. Of course, if he ever does a Hadrian spin-off in the Colosseum, he'll have to rent the film. Or ask Brando, who surely saw it.