Romantic comedy
Smiley
Álex and Bruno could not be more different, but a misunderstanding and an invisible red thread will change their lives forever.
Sala Flyhard, Barcelona · Premiere: 29 November 2012
A red thread between two opposites
A Japanese legend says that when two people are destined to be together, an invisible red thread tied to the little finger connects them from the day they are born. This thread cannot be broken and has the power to bind two people forever, no matter how far apart they are or how different they may seem. This is the premise behind Smiley, Guillem Clua’s most successful comedy to date. First staged at Barcelona’s tiny Sala Flyhard under the author’s own direction, the play became a Catalan phenomenon, then an international one, before becoming a Netflix series released in 2022.
Álex and Bruno, the two protagonists of this romantic comedy, could not be more different. They form an unlikely couple whose only things in common are that they are two men and that they have fallen in love. Their differences seem insurmountable and their personalities antagonistic, but whether they like it or not, they are bound by that red thread, however often they may want to break it.
When the play begins, Álex has just suffered a romantic disappointment. He got his hopes up about someone who disappeared without a trace after a few weeks, and he is not taking it well. He picks up the phone to demand an explanation in a monologue with the most unexpected consequences. Bruno, for his part, would never notice someone like Álex, but a misunderstanding brings them together. What starts as an ordinary date ends up becoming an event that will change both their lives forever.
Smiley is, and wants to be, a love story in every sense of the word. It makes us laugh and moves us. With humour, it shows the fears we face when we fall in love. It explores how new technologies such as WhatsApp and iPhones have changed our lives, while precisely dissecting the contradictions of relationships within the gay community. It is a small Wikipedia of Barcelona’s gay scene and also a tribute to the classic romantic comedies, from Nora Ephron to Howard Hawks. Smiley is all this and more, but above all, Smiley is a hymn to love.
Credits and premieres
World premiere
Barcelona · 29 November 2012
Sala Flyhard
Written and directed by: Guillem Clua
Cast: Ramon Pujol (Àlex) and Albert Triola (Bruno)
Assistant director: Marta Buchaca
Set and costume design: Albert Pascual
Lighting and sound design: Xavi Gardés
Production: Flyhard Produccions
Madrid premiere
Teatro Lara · 5 September 2014
Written and directed by: Guillem Clua
Cast: Ramon Pujol (Àlex) and Aitor Merino (Bruno)
Production: Pachesca Producciones
Set design: Guillermo García-Hoz
Lighting: Daniel Navarro
Sound: Andrés Belmonte
International productions
Since its premiere in Barcelona, the play has led to productions across Europe, America, Asia and Australia.
2012–2017
- Barcelona · Sala Flyhard, Teatre Lliure and Club Capitol (2012–13)
- Madrid · Teatro Lara and Teatro Maravillas (2014)
- Santiago de Chile · Sala Ladrón de Bicicletas (2014)
- San Juan de Puerto Rico · Teatro Coribantes (2016)
- Atenas · Teatro Abaton (2016–17)
- Limassol · Teatro Versus (2017)
- Balearic Islands · El Somni Produccions (2017–19)
- Nápoles · Nuovo Teatro Sanità (2017)
2018–2021
- Montevideo · Teatro Solís (2018)
- Lima · Centro Cultural Ricardo Palma (2018)
- Miami · Studio28 (2019)
- New York · Repertorio Español (2019)
- Caracas · Centro Cultural BOD (2019)
- Brisbane · Back Dock Arts Theatre (2020)
- Singapur · Pink Fest (2021)
- Bogotá · Teatro Cabaret Rosa (2021)
2023–2026
- Mexico City · La Teatrería (2023–25)
- Buenos Aires · Teatro Premier (2023)
- Miami · Sandrell Rivers Theater (2023–24)
- Nettetal and German tour · KulturAula (2023–25)
- Caracas · Teatro César Rengifo (2024)
- Santo Domingo · Chao Café Teatro (2024)
- São Paulo · Espaço Cia Da Revista (2024)
- La Habana · Sala Adolfo Llauradó (2025)
- Vienna · Amerlinghaus (2025)
- Prague · Studio DVA Divadlo (2025)
- Madrid · Off La Latina and Sala Azarte (2025)
- Almería · Teatro Cervantes (2025–26)
- Atenas · Espacio Shamone (2026)
Gallery
Press
Babelia
“Smiley is delicious, very funny and sentimental without ever becoming mawkish; it works because the characters feel real.”
— Marcos Ordóñez, Puro Teatro / Babelia.
La Vanguardia
“Smiley is the best Catalan comedy of the year.”
— Ramon Oliver, La Vanguardia.
Guía del Ocio
“An intelligent piece, seasoned with brilliant, irony-filled dialogue. A magnificent play!”
— A. J. Navarro, Guía del Ocio.
Time Out Barcelona
“Guillem Clua makes us laugh and smile with a love story. A highly recommended comedy. Don’t miss it.”
— J. C. Olivares, Time Out Barcelona.
Cinedivergente
“One of the finest examples of contemporary theatre. An irresistible script, production and performance.”
— Fernando Solla, Cinedivergente.
Revista Masteatro
“It is worth heading to the Capitol and laughing intelligently with the best comedy of the year.”
— Martí Figueras, Revista Masteatro.
Screen adaptation
From the stage to Netflix
After its successful international journey, Guillem Clua adapted Smiley for the screen, expanding its universe and characters to present a rich mosaic of LGTBI love stories.
The series arrived on Netflix on 7 December 2022. Led by Miki Esparbé and Carlos Cuevas, the story of Álex and Bruno became an ensemble comedy set in Barcelona.