Podcast Summary: Especial Hoy por Hoy en Barcelona desde "El Molino" — Con Lita Claver "La Maña" y Clara Segura

Podcast: Hoy por Hoy
Host: Àngels Barceló (SER Podcast)
Date: September 19, 2025
Recorded Live: El Molino, Paral·lel, Barcelona
Guests: Lita Claver ("La Maña"), Clara Segura

Overview

This special episode of Hoy por Hoy broadcasts live from the historic cabaret theatre El Molino on Barcelona's iconic Paral·lel avenue. Àngels Barceló and team explore the cultural and emotional history of this legendary area, described as Barcelona’s own “Broadway”, with special guests Lita Claver (“La Maña”), a beloved vedette who made El Molino famous, and award-winning actress Clara Segura. The episode blends personal memories, social reflections, and celebrations of Barcelona's cultural legacy, examining both the golden days of Paral·lel and the evolving role of the arts.

Setting the Scene: The Heartbeat of Paral·lel

[00:39–05:05]

Key Points

• The show opens with an immersive description of Barcelona's Paral·lel, likening it to “a grand cultural matryoshka” and tracing its transformation from market gardens to an industrial heartland, and then into the city’s entertainment axis.
• Pepe Rubio’s walking tour covers the gardens of Sant Joan, the iconic three smokestacks that now crown a graffiti and skater’s paradise, and the historic Muralla de Santa Madrona.
• Rubio explains the genesis of the Poble-sec neighborhood — from its origins, marked by wells and farmland, through industrialization (signaled by the rise of chimneys and factories) and its working-class character, leading to a need for boisterous, popular entertainment options.
• The origins of “Barcelona’s Broadway” — the Parallel — with its constellation of legendary theatres: Apolo, Victoria, Arnau, and El Molino.

Notable Quote:

“Las huertas se regaban con pozos...llega la industria, esas chimeneas espectaculares...la zona industrial hace que los pozos se sequen. Por eso este barrio se llama Poble-sec...”
— Pepe Rubio [01:20]

• Rubió points out the symbolic role of El Molino and the cultural roots that connect Joan Manuel Serrat and other luminaries to the neighborhood.

Lita Claver “La Maña”: Memories, Triumphs & Humor at El Molino

[06:04–21:03]

Early Years and Arrival at El Molino

• Lita Claver, nicknamed “La Maña”, nostalgically recounts her journey: arriving at El Molino at age 23, after debuting at Teatro Victoria.
• She poignantly reflects on her start in showbiz out of necessity in the postwar years, amid poverty and hunger:

Notable Quote:

“Yo no empecé porque me gustase, empecé por necesidad, por hambre… mi madre viuda, con una prole pela, marinera. Pero yo era muy lista. Yo cuando salga de aquí...la que voy a liar.”
— Lita Claver [09:38]

El Molino: Democracy & Breaking the Rules

• El Molino as a true democracy—“La verdadera democracia”—with an audience from all walks of life, including famous artists and ordinary people, mixing in the same space.
• Maña lists the cultural icons who watched from the boxes: Salvador Dalí, Gala, Fellini, Rafael Alberti, and Vázquez Montalbán.
• She shares rebellious anecdotes—routinely incurring fines for venturing into the orchestra pit to directly interact with the audience, disrupting the boundaries of performance.

Notable Quote:

“Yo era muy rompedora. Me gustaba ver a las señoras los ojos, mirar a los señores, sentarme en las rodillas de un señor...y eso estaba prohibido. Tenga que pagar multas. Esto va a ser un bombazo.”
— Lita Claver [14:01]

• Lita reflects on the decline of the Parallel area but defends the timelessness of variety shows and popular theatre:

“¿Por qué lo nuestro es antiguo?...son espectáculos maravillosos donde hay mucha risa, donde el público se divierte.” [15:37]

Generational Impact & Gratitude

• Maña describes the transformative power of laughter and the cathartic relief her shows brought to people burdened by the grayness of daily life.
• She also recalls branching into dramatic theatre, including collaborations with Boris Rothe Stein and experiments with the Stanislavski method.

Emotional Climax & Signature Closing

• Emotional recollection of international success and staying power.
• She closes her segment with her classic stage send-off, physically stepping out to the front, to roaring applause.

Sabor de Gracia: Live Musical Interlude

[21:03–23:19]

• The iconic rumba group Sabor de Gracia energizes the room with a celebratory performance, underlining the episode’s tribute to Barcelona’s vibrant popular arts scene.

Clara Segura: Cinema rooted in local stories, with universal resonance

[23:55–37:18]

2025: A Year of Recognition

• Introduction of Clara Segura, fresh from winning accolades (Best Supporting Actress at the Gaudí Awards for “El 47”).
• Segura reflects on the results of years of hard work, emphasizing that luck follows effort:

Notable Quote:

“La suerte no viene sola si no te pilla trabajando.”
— Clara Segura [25:16]

Choosing Projects & The Power of Storytelling

• Segura insists that her choices aren’t calculated for success, but are driven by the emotional narrative and potential personal connections—such as seeing her family story echoed in her recent roles.

“Me alegro de que aún me muevan las historias, por lo que se cuenta...el relato de esta historia."
— Clara Segura [25:49]

Art that Resonates & Heals

• Discusses projects like “Casa en flames” and “El 47” as vehicles for shared experience and recognition:

  • “Son proyectos...que mucha gente se ve interpelada y se ve identificada…” [26:38]

• Emphasizes the dual role of culture: to provide both escape and nourishment — crucial in a time of “disilusión” and information overload.

“La cultura tiene que ser un descanso para el alma, un alimento para nutrir esta desesperanza y esta falta de lucha.”
— Clara Segura [28:19]

On Theatre, Youth, and Cultural Memory

• Segura reflects on her earliest theatre experiences, the adrenaline of live performance, and her foundational training in music.
• Advocates for the place of philosophy and theatre in education:

“Filosofía y teatro no la saquen de las escuelas.” [32:41]

Navigating a Career & Gendered Ageism

• Addresses the uncertainties of an acting career—the ever-present anxiety of “ser la última vez que me van a llamar”.
• Acknowledges her privilege, while also highlighting the job insecurity prevalent in the industry.
• Segura’s recent shift toward directing reflects both creative ambition and realities of age and gender in casting—she advocates for stories for women of all ages, and the importance of intergenerational exchange in theatre.

Notable Quote:

“No es casualidad que yo también ahora me haya puesto un poco el ojo en la dirección...hay buenas historias para todas las edades, para todas las mujeres.”
— Clara Segura [35:57]

Conclusion

• The episode ends echoing Maña's and Segura’s insights: true democracy and cultural strength reside in inclusive spaces like El Molino and in the enduring power of local stories shared on stage and screen.
• Both guests advocate for the role of the arts as spaces for connection, dialogue, and resilience—asserting the arts as more relevant than ever in Barcelona’s ongoing story.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Pepe Rubio on Poble-sec's Origins:
  “Las huertas se regaban con pozos...llega la industria... Por eso este barrio se llama Poble-sec.” [01:20]
• Lita Claver on Survival:
  “Yo no empecé porque me gustase, empecé por necesidad, por hambre... Vi el panorama. Coñe, yo aquí no paso hambre por nada del mundo. A bailar por los bares y a pasar el platillo.” [09:38]
• Lita Claver on Breaking Rules:
  “Yo era muy rompedora...sentarme en las rodillas de un señor...estaba prohibido. Tenga que pagar multas. Esto va a ser un bombazo.” [14:01]
• Lita Claver on Democracy in Theatre:
  "La verdadera democracia. Porque arriba se ponían los famosos y los que tenían dinero, pero los de abajo tenían que ahorrar para venir." [18:28]
• Clara Segura on Artistic Success:
  "La suerte no viene sola si no te pilla trabajando." [25:16]
• Clara Segura on Deep Connection with Stories:
  "Me alegro de que aún me muevan las historias, por lo que se cuenta..." [25:49]
• Clara Segura on the Role of Art:
  “La cultura tiene que ser un descanso para el alma, un alimento para nutrir esta desesperanza y esta falta de lucha.” [28:19]
• Clara Segura on Representation and Age:
  “No es casualidad que yo también ahora me haya puesto un poco el ojo en la dirección...hay buenas historias para todas las edades, para todas las mujeres.” [35:57]

Important Segments and Timestamps

• Opening and Parallel overview: [00:39–05:05]
• Lita Claver in depth: [06:04–21:03]
• Sabor de Gracia (musical break): [21:03–23:19]
• Clara Segura interview: [23:55–37:18]

This summary captures the spirit and substance of a special live episode paying tribute to Barcelona’s theatrical and cinematic legacy through the voices and stories of two iconic women—connecting past, present, and future of the city’s cultural scene.