By Maíra Amorim, Senior Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO – The first festival to promote a theatrical connection between Portuguese speaking countries, Festlip’s (Festival de Teatro da Língua Portuguesa) third edition is running until Sunday, July 25th across Rio. It is a unique opportunity to see plays from Angola, Cap Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe, East Timor and, of course, Brazil, and the festival schedule also includes debates, photo exhibitions, shows and specialist foods.
Actress and producer Tânia Pires who curated the festival explains, “We started with ten shows from five countries. The following year, we had Guinea-Bissau coming and had already enrolled more than 400 groups and had 31,000 spectators in the two editions. Now we almost have 800 subscriptions and fifteen plays that represent all members of the CLPC (Community of Portuguese Language Countries). It is one more step to strengthen links between different cultures that are still very distant.”
This year’s festival pays tribute to Portuguese actress Maria do Céu Guerra who is coming to Brazil to present the spectacle “Agosto – Contos de Emigração” (August – Tales of Emigration), which will be performed on Saturday, July 24th, at 7PM at the Teatro Sesc Ginásio. The play tells the story of Portuguese men who left the country to travel the world in search of their fortune.
Saturday, July 24th will also see performances from Cap Verde – “Androgínia” – a play that discusses violence against women (7PM and 9PM at Sesc Casa da Gávea), and from São Tomé and Príncipe comes “O Pagador de Promessas” by Brazilian writer Dias Gomes, who expertly mixes Brazilian and African culture (8PM Sesc Tijuca). Finally the Brazilian company Os Fofos Encenam will be presenting “Ferro em Brasa”, a dramatic love story with circus aesthetics (7:30PM, Teatro Nelson Rodrigues)
In all the venues participating at the Festival there will be an exhibition of photos that were taken in Angola, Cap Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe, East Timor during 2009. For actors, drama students or anyone interested in theater there will also be workshops, including on Wednesday, July 21st, “Theatrical Experience” (Espaço Sesc Arena) and Thursday, July 22nd, “Stage Lighting” (Espaço Sesc Arena). On Wednesday also sees a debate held at Sesc Ginástico about “The dialogue of the Theater of Portuguese-speaking countries” with the participation of play write Bosco Brasil.
The food element of the festival takes place at 00 (Zero Zero) Contemporary Kitchen, in Gávea and also deserves a special mention. Inspired by “The Flavors of Portuguese Language”, chef Joana Carvalho has created mouth-watering recipes from each of the eight participating countries including a Cap Verde tuna in red curry sauce with mashed potatoes and green zucchini and a Mozambique dish of shrimps with coconut milk and spinach and saffron rice.
Entrance for all plays and workshops is free.
TEATRO SESC GINÁSTICO
Av. Graça Aranha 187, Centro
Tel.: (21) 2279-4027
SESC RIO CASA DA GÁVEA
Praça Santos Dumont 116 sobrado, Gávea
Tel.: (21) 2239-3511
TEATRO SESC TIJUCA
Rua Barão de Mesquita 539, Tijuca
Tel.: (21) 3238-2109
CAIXA Cultural
Teatro Nelson Rodrigues
Av. Chile 230 – Annex, Centro
Tel.: (21) 2262-0942
Restaurante 00 Cozinha Contemporânea
Rua Padre Leonel Franca 240, Gávea
Tel.: (21) 2540-8041
Opens for dinner at 8:30PM