The house of Bernarda Alba
2024
01 ABOUT
The House of Bernarda Alba, written by Federico García Lorca, is one of the most significant and widely recognized plays in Spanish theatrical history. This project draws direct inspiration from the narrative and thematic depth of the play, which centers on the lives of five sisters during the strict mourning period imposed after their father’s death. From this premise, the story unfolds as a powerful exploration of repression, control, and unspoken desire.
Through its characters and setting, the play addresses themes that remain socially relevant today, such as the oppression of women, rigid social norms, and the importance placed on maintaining appearances in the eyes of others. These ideas served as the conceptual foundation for the visual language developed throughout the project.
The project includes a poster designed for the theater company staging the play, as well as additional promotional materials required for the production, including flyers. All visual elements were conceived to reflect the emotional intensity and symbolic weight of the original work, creating a cohesive and expressive identity that supports and enhances the theatrical experience.
03 DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
The process began with a brainstorming session involving the actors from the play, who know better than anyone what the story means and represents. After hearing various ideas and interpretations, an initial sketch was created, which evolved into the illustration featured on the poster.
The outstretched hand, reaching for something and positioned as the centerpiece of the illustration, represents one of the sisters, Adela—the sister who fights for her freedom and against her mother’s authority. Surrounding her, the other hands symbolize her sisters, trying to hold her back. The chains represent the mourning period and the mother’s authority, which forces the sisters to remain at home under strict rules.
One of the hands features a ring, symbolizing the engagement ring given to one of the sisters by the man she is to marry—a gesture that could grant her the freedom she longs for. The background, although dark, is adorned with stars, frequently mentioned throughout the play. Together, these elements capture the essence of one of the main characters and her struggle to escape the confines of a home where she lacks the freedom she craves.
The typography combines a more traditional serif font, referencing the play’s status as a classic of Spanish theater, with a Sans Serif typeface to ensure readability, even from a distance. This was a key consideration for making the poster legible on the street while also catching the attention of passersby and encouraging them to attend the play.
Designing the flyer posed a challenge, as it needed to include a lot of information while remaining clear and easy to read. The Sans Serif font from the poster was chosen for its legibility, even at smaller sizes, allowing all necessary text to be included. The flyer also adopted the key colors from the poster to maintain visual coherence.
Not all the logos included on the poster and flyer had a single-color version available, so the full-color versions had to be used despite not being ideal choice.
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