The play’s premiere, described as a “kind of celebration” of the new space by Pedro Carraca to journalists after a press rehearsal, was initially set for October 9 but had to be postponed to today due to “technical problems” in the empty warehouse of over 800 square meters, which has served as the “new home” for the Artistas Unidos since September 26, following their eviction from Teatro da Politécnica.
With the change in premiere date, the show will run until November 15, with performances on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m., on Thursdays and Fridays at 9:00 p.m., and on Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
During the first three days, admission to the play is free, with prior ticket collection, considering the venue’s capacity of 50 seats.
“About a year ago, we began to realize that it might be the first text for a possible new space,” said Pedro Carraca at the end of a press rehearsal of the play, now staged in the current space.
The premiere is feasible because it’s a comedy, a genre the company “hadn’t done for a while.” Since they were embarking on a “new beginning,” it was deemed a good opportunity for a slight change and celebration, affirmed the director.
“Well, it’s a dark comedy, of course, it couldn’t be a comedy without some unusual twists,” added Pedro Carraca, noting it is the 200th text staged by the company founded in 1995 by Jorge Silva Melo (1948-2022).
For this reason, they believed staging the play “should be a kind of celebration and something more fun and light,” despite the absence of Pedro Gil, who inspired Artistas Unidos to mount the play, from the current cast.
The play’s production commenced without the Artistas Unidos “fully understanding what the possible premiere date could be,” given that the lease agreement for the new space with the Municipality of Lisbon was only concluded on September 26.
“Jantar” is a text “for those who enjoy actor work,” as it allows them to develop their characters and simultaneously “play and have fun with it,” observed Pedro Carraca.
It’s a way for Artistas Unidos to be “a bit lighter, in a moment that is light but quite heavy, considering all the Herculean tasks” they face to convert a space of hundreds of square meters into a theater.
Translated by Ana Frazão, “Jantar” features a cast including Catarina Campos Costa, Gonçalo Carvalho, Inês Pereira, Pedro Caeiro, Raquel Montenegro, Tiago Matias, and Vicente Wallenstein.
Rita Lopes Alves is responsible for the set and costumes, Francisco Silva assists with set design, Pedro Domingos handles the lighting, and André Pires oversees sound.
The assistant directors are Joana Calado and Nuno Gonçalo Rodrigues.
