Four lifelong friends gather for what seems like an ordinary dinner until one of them asks an unexpected favour: to donate sperm so his wife can undergo artificial insemination. A major theatrical box-office success by one of Spain’s most acclaimed playwrights, Susanna Garachana.
Cesc and Clara have spent years trying unsuccessfully to have a child. After discovering that Cesc is infertile and realising that the adoption process they have begun could take years, they come up with an unusual solution: ask Cesc’s three closest friends to each donate a sperm sample so Clara can undergo artificial insemination. Nervous about making such an extraordinary request, Cesc invites his friends Santi, Àlex and Joan over for dinner.
Throughout the evening, the friends joke, argue and avoid the subject until Cesc finally reveals his proposal. The reaction is far from what he had hoped for. Àlex treats it as a joke, Joan invents excuses, and Santi questions both the legal and emotional consequences. As the conversation unfolds, tensions rise, sarcasm gives way to uncomfortable confessions—including Joan’s supposed vasectomy and Àlex’s unresolved issues with his ex—and long-held assumptions about fatherhood, friendship and loyalty are put to the test. Despite everything, Cesc insists that they are the only people he trusts enough to ask for such an act of generosity.
Just as the discussion seems impossible to resolve, Clara calls from the airport with life-changing news: the adoption agency has matched them with newborn twins. Instantly, everything changes. The awkward request becomes irrelevant as the friends celebrate together, united in their excitement and ready to support Cesc as he begins his long-awaited journey into fatherhood.
RELEVANT INFORMATION: Susanna Garachana is a highly successful Catalan playwright.
The Favor is one of her best-known plays, a comedy that explores the limits of male friendship and contemporary taboos surrounding fatherhood, infertility and emotional bonds. The play challenges conventional ideas of masculinity, parenthood and affection, highlighting how even the closest friendships can be hindered by emotional barriers. Through fast-paced dialogue, authentic conflicts and moments of both tenderness and sharp humour, The Favor offers a witty portrait of how difficult it can be for men to ask for help—and how transformative it can be to offer it unconditionally.
The play has outstanding potential as a feature comedy adaptation. The entire story unfolds over the course of a single evening and in one location, making it ideally suited to a contained, character-driven production. Its brisk pace, sharp dialogue and well-timed revelations keep the story engaging without the need for elaborate set pieces.
AUDIOVISUAL POTENTIAL: In development as a Film.
AVAILABLE LANGUAGES: Spanish, Catalan.
