The National Theatre Dona Maria II new season sees the shows travelling the country but also increased activity in the capital, Lisbon, in various cultural spaces. Between fresh looks to classics, contemporary texts and narratives, sustainable productions and activities such as participatory art projects, debates, an exhibition, talks and a conference about cultural democracy, the theatre programme until the end of the year is vast and diverse.
The National Theatre Dona Maria II continues to promote activities throughout the country and, at the same time, present itself in various cultural spaces in the city of Lisbon. Between September and December 2024, the theatre will present 15 shows in various municipalities across the country, in addition to 6 participatory art projects, meetings, talks, debates, forums, book launches, training activities, activities for school audiences, an exhibition and a conference on Cultural Democracy.
After a long tour across the country in 2023, the show O Misantropo – por Hugo van der Ding e Martim Sousa Tavares a partir Molière, directed by Mónica Garnel, is presented for the first time in Lisbon. A reinterpretation of Molière's classic that takes the action from 17th century France to 18th century Portugal, specifically to the court of King João V.
In December, A play for the living in a time of extinction opens in Lisbon. This sustainable creation is part of the european project STAGES (Sustainable Theatre Alliance for a Green Environmental Shift), funded by the European Union. The Portuguese re-creation is co-authored by Ana Tang and Guilherme Gomes and performed by Ana Tang. With a text by Miranda Rose Hall, the show was originally conceived and directed by English director Katie Mitchell and was designed to be performed in various countries, with local resources and teams, without moving people or objects.
This year, the Dona Maria II is once again a partner of the Alkantara Festival, guaranteeing the co-presentation of four shows in various venues in Lisbon during the month of November: Cartas do Fogo, by Ellen Pirá Wassu, Ritó Natálio and Uýra Sodoma; Basel Zaraa’s Dear Laila; Mike, created and performed by Dana Michel; and The body is here, off screen, by Alia Hamdan.
In addition to the programme in Lisbon, the Dona Maria II will continue to travel around the country with shows by André Amálio and Tereza Havlíčková / Hotel Europa (Luta Armada), Catarina Requeijo (Onde é a guerra?, part of the Boca Aberta, a project for children), Fernando Giestas / Amarelo Silvestre (Diário de uma República II), Inês Barahona and Miguel Fragata / Formiga Atómica (Terminal - O Estado do Mundo), Jorge Andrade / mala voadora (25 de abril de 1974), Pedro Penim (Quis saber quem sou - Um concerto teatral), Raquel Castro (As Castro) and Sara Barros Leitão / Cassandra (Guião para um país possível).
In addition to the shows, the programme until December also includes the exhibition Quem és tu? – um teatro nacional a olhar para o país, at the National Museum of Theatre and Dance until 29 December, including training sessions, workshops, activities in schools, talks, meetings, debates and book launches; and also the Atos participatory art programme, developed in partnership with the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (CGF), through which participatory art projects are made possible in six municipalities in all regions of the country (Évora, Funchal, Lamego, Loulé, Ponta Delgada and São João da Madeira), as well as forums, training activities and a conference on Cultural Democracy, which will take place at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in October.
©Filipe Ferreira
