This comedy in verse represented for the first and only time in 1874 in Manacor. It long time had to pass until in 2013 it was put back on stage, directed by Antoni Rosselló and the organization of the Patronat de Sant Antoni. This year it will be represented again at the Teatre de Manacor coinciding with its famous festivities of Sant Antoni.
Joan Bartomeu Bosch i Sureda (1823-1898) from Manacor is the author of the original text of La comedia de Sant Antoni, which tells the temptations suffered by the saint holy from the demons when he was in the desert.
In it appears for the first time Sant Antoni the dimoni gros (large demon) and two petits dimonis (little devils ), and therefore it is believed that it was from that date when the ball dels dimonis became widespread in Manacor as known today. In fact, the oldest documented reference on la colla de dimonis is from1883, nine years after its staging.
Actors involved are Joan Gelabert (Sant Antoni), Marc Morales (Lucifer - dimoni gros), Joan Antoni Oliver (Asmodeu - dimoni petit), Ignasi Galmés (Leviatan - dimoni petit), Catalina Riera (Mè and Queen), Guillem Sansó Cavall (captain, Sant Pau and hermit ), Pere Sansó (dog, sick and hermit), Catalina Ferrer (gallo, sick and Angel).
The music is by Esther Díaz (violin and voice), Antonia Bassa (flute) and Gràcia Puig (clarinet).