Manel Dueso, the acclaimed Catalan actor, director, playwright, and poet who helped co-found Barcelona’s historic Sala Beckett, died in Barcelona on Tuesday at the age of 73 following a long illness, according to a statement from Lapislàtzuli Editorial.
A Pillar of Catalan Theater and the Sala Beckett
Born in Sabadell in 1953, Dueso built an extensive artistic career that shaped contemporary Catalan performance. According to the sources, he began his theatrical journey at the Sant Vicenç de la Creu Alta parish center before earning his acting degree from the Institut del Teatre de Barcelona. He later worked as an autodidact in stage direction and playwriting.
Dueso left a lasting mark on the region’s cultural infrastructure as a co-founder of the Sala Beckett, a vital hub for contemporary playwriting in Barcelona. Throughout his career, he wrote more than 20 plays. These works premiered at notable Catalan venues such as the Sala Beckett, the Teatre Nacional de Catalunya, La Villarroel, the Grec Festival, and the Mercat de les Flors, with some productions later traveling to Madrid, the United Kingdom, Cuba, and Colombia.
Prolific Directing and Acting Career
As both an actor and a director, Dueso mounted more than a hundred productions spanning classical and modern repertoires. His stage credits included works by William Shakespeare, Molière, Anton Chekhov, Tennessee Williams, Samuel Beckett, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Jean Genet, Ramón María del Valle-Inclán, and José Sanchís Sinisterra.
In December 2025, he staged his dark comedy Jambo Bwana at the Teatre Nacional de Catalunya, exploring themes of brotherhood and survival in a deshumanized world.
Beyond the stage, Dueso maintained a steady presence in film and television as both an actor and a writer. His screen credits include feature films such as Mientras duermes (2011), Eva (2011), El cuerpo (2012), and Contratiempo (2016), alongside popular television series including La Riera, El cor de la ciutat, and Cuéntame cómo pasó.
Poetic Legacy and Awards
Dueso wrote poetry from his adolescence, a lyrical impulse that heavily influenced his dramatic writing. His theatrical dialogue frequently drew on poetic cadence, while his verse reflected his deep immersion in the theatrical arts.
In 2023, he received the Theater Prize at the Premios Literarios Ciutat de València.
In addition to his creative output, Dueso shared his expertise as an acting instructor at several institutions, including the Col·legi de Teatre de Barcelona, the Centro Superior de Arte Dramático Eòlia, the Escola de l’Actor in Valencia, the Institut del Teatre, and the Escola Superior de Cinema i Audiovisuals de Catalunya (ESCAC).
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