The Sauto Theatre in Matanzas is apparently one of only three theatres in the world which can be transformed into a dancehall with the turn of a crank. Normally the audience sits below the stage but when the chairs are removed and the floor is raised, the stage and auditorium become one large space for dancing salsa or the danzón. Unfortunately not many visitors can see this feat of engineering at the moment as the theatre, one of Matanzas’ landmarks, is currently undergoing restoration and is not open to the public. I was lucky to be shown round on a visit there earlier this year by the city’s official Historian. Once the theatre has been fully restored – it’s been three years’ of work so far – the plan is to crank up the floor and turn the theatre into a dancehall once a year.
Many of Cuba’s great public buildings and private houses are either undergoing or need restoration. The work done to restore Old Havana has been widely heralded; work is currently going on in the Capitolio which will soon become the seat of the National Assembly again and the European Union has helped support the restoration of the Palacio del Segundo Cabo. But there are many other beautiful old buildings around the country, like the Sauto Theatre, in a state of disrepair. Obviously restoration can be very costly so whether it really is a national priority given the other needs in Cuba is a question of some debate.
Buildings like the Sauto Theatre though are important for Cuba’s economy as well as the town’s cultural life. Tourism brings in a lot of foreign exchange to Cuba with almost 3 million visitors each year. Many of these come for the sun, sand and salsa, all of which Cuba has in plentiful supply, but many are interested in Cuba’s culture too. Everyone has their own favourite activities but if I only had a week in Cuba I’d do three things: visit a cigar factory, catch a baseball game and take a trip round the excellent Museum of Fine Arts in Havana.