The Lusophone Theater Festival (FestLuso), which this year pays homage to Portuguese theater, kicks off today in the Brazilian city of Teresina and runs until the 27th, with performances for all ages in Portuguese.
According to the information available on the festival’s Facebook page, the 13th edition of FestLuso will pay homage to Portuguese theater and Lusitanian productions, with the presentation of Portuguese theatrical performances on gender, racism and immigration.
A “schools circuit” is also planned which, between today and Saturday, will take a puppet show entitled “A Cruz de Rufino”, by the Saaraci Coletivo Teatral group from Porto, to nine schools in the region.
On Wednesday, Nelson Monforte Studio Theatre’s “À mesa (Last Supper)”, a show created from Da Vinci’s notebooks, takes to the stage of the Theatro 4 de Setembro. It deals with the impact of the Hebrew people on human history, reflecting on immigration and slavery.
On the same day, but in the Sesc Cajuína space, “Viagem Infinita – A partir de ‘Os Lusíadas’ de Camões – Versão de Itinerância” is presented by Musgo Produção Cultural, a performance/concert that “aims to reconcile” spectators with the work of the Portuguese poet.
On Thursday and Friday at the Theatro 4 de Setembro, the shows “Transgressões” by Roald Hoffmann will be performed by the Teatro Extremo company from Almada, and “Damas da Noite, uma farce de Elmano Sancho” by Loup Solitaire from Lisbon.
On Saturday, Sesc Cajuína presents “Saaraci, o Último Gafanhoto do Deserto”, by the Saaraci Coletivo Teatral, a co-production from Portugal, Cape Verde and Brazil.
FestLuso will also feature performances from Mozambique, such as “O Roubo e os Génios”, by the Hopangalatana Theater Company.
From Brazil, productions include the award-winning São Paulo play “Macacos”, performed by Clayton Nascimento, from Cia. do Sal, “Levando a vida no cabelo”, by Maria da Penha, “Café com queijo”, by Lume Teatro, “Sabbath da Brixa”, by Samuel Alvis / Dqtf, and “O Portal Encantado” – Theater for Babies, by Cia Dragão”.
The organizers point out that admission to the entire program is free and all you need to bring is a kilo of non-perishable food to be donated to the Mesa Brasil Sesc Program, which has existed since 1994 to fight hunger and food waste in Brazil through donations from partners.