PREMIERE
ALMA D'ARAME + TEATRÃO
[PORTUGAL]
O CAPOTE
29 + 30 May · 9.30 PM
Cineteatro Curvo Semedo
Age Rating: 12+
Duration: 60 minutes
Between laughter and despair, a small world comes to life. Inspired by Nikolai Gogol’s original text, this production brings together actors, objects, puppets and animated theatre to reveal the invisible driving force behind an anonymous life, lost in some office or department: loneliness, the desire to be seen, the struggle for a name, a place, a new coat.
In this universe, society presents itself as an artificial, inhuman and cruel machine, acting as a catalyst for the alienation of its anti-heroes. The oppressive and indifferent environment pushes the characters to the margins, turning them into grotesque yet tender figures, trapped between the absurd and the tragic.
At the intersection of gesture and inanimate matter, the actor-manipulators share the stage with figures and objects that rise, fall apart and are reborn. Live music accompanies and amplifies the emotions, creating a constant dialogue between sound, body and image.
Alma d’Arame
Founded in 2006, Alma d’Arame operates in the Alentejo region, particularly in the municipality of Montemor-o-Novo, where we are active participants in the cultural and artistic scene. We fervently believe in the essence that underpins this project: to breathe life into the wire puppets. Thus, we aim to contribute to the promotion and democratisation of access to the performing arts, with a particular focus on puppet theatre.
We strive to preserve the heritage of traditional puppetry and promote contemporary forms. We are bold in our approaches and creations. Our shows aim to bring the different forms and approaches of puppet and object manipulation theatre to audiences of all ages, ranging from traditional techniques to more modern and technological ones. This has been the guiding principle of our journey from the very beginning.
Alma d’Arame’s journey is characterised by creation, programming, training and creative collaboration with local, national and international organisations.
Teatrão
Teatrão is a professional theatre company based in Coimbra, with its home at the Oficina Municipal do Teatro.
Since 1994, our mission has been to bring the art of theatre closer to communities and local areas, promoting equal access for all audiences to our activities, in line with our political stance on the role of art and culture in the development of individuals and communities.
In carrying out this work, Teatrão always strives to be guided by several very clear objectives. Firstly, we aim to promote a diverse and geographically balanced artistic programme across the city and region, in order to contribute to a greater and better appreciation of the arts. We also seek to affirm the role of the company and our work, maintaining a constant commitment to artistic professionalism, the contemporary nature of the works presented, and our closeness to communities. At the same time, we strive to foster the Municipal Theatre Workshop as a participatory space that is closely connected to the community. We also seek to ensure that our productions are performed at venues across the country and on international tours. Finally, we foster the integration and deepening of the artistic and educational dimensions of our project – something made possible by the unique academic background and professional experience of our team of directors, actors, playwrights and educators, alongside professionals from other fields – through practices that interlink creation, training and research in the performing arts.
© Teresa Valente
