Premiered in June at the theater in Praça de Espanha, “Um urso no universo” is the first family play by playwright Dea Loher of the Thalia Theatre in Hamburg. The story revolves around Benny, a polar bear witnessing the disappearance of his icy habitat, notes Teatro Aberto.
After building a raft and drifting to Polynesia, Benny meets Polly, an energetic chicken who becomes crucial in helping him adapt to the climatic and ecological differences.
Finding a companion and saving the polar bears from extinction is a dream nurtured by Benny.
Whether the polar bear can overcome the challenges posed by a world full of dangers is the question posed in the play by the author, born in 1964 in Traunstein, Upper Bavaria. Teatro Aberto has previously staged her works, including “Imaculados” (2008) and “Golpada” (2019).
For the company under the artistic direction of João Lourenço and Vera San Payo de Lemos, “Um urso no universo” is a play that “mixes humor, music, and fantasy” to address “urgent themes such as global warming and eternal ones such as friendship and respect for differences.”
Created by Anabela Gaspar, Afonso de Portugal, João Lourenço, Jorge Albuquerque, Marisa Fernandes, Marta Guerreiro, Sofia de Portugal, and Vera San Payo de Lemos, the play features performances by Catarina M. Lima, João Maria Reis, João Redondo, Zita Milene, and musician Afonso de Portugal.
Running in the Sala Azul until December 28, the play has shows on Saturdays at 7:00 PM and on Sundays at 11:30 AM and 4:00 PM.
