The play ‘Dói-me o corpo de jazer nessa esperança’, inspired by Euripides’ ‘The Trojan Women’ and ‘Hecuba’, addresses the anxiety experienced by individuals in the face of contemporary tragedies, bringing relevance to themes discussed by the ancient Greek author.
This production, authored by Jorge Palinhos and directed by Marco António Rodrigues, marks the first collaboration between two companies, and will be showcased in Coimbra and Agualva-Cacém (Sintra).
Rodrigues highlights the relevance of Euripides’ themes, noting their connection to today’s world. Euripides, known for his pacifist stance, criticized the Greek state’s expansion through colonization.
“Today’s societal conditions are strikingly similar to those of Euripides’ era, two and a half millennia later,” he noted.
This joint production suggests that tragedy is not merely a burden or destiny, and proposes the possibility for individuals to ‘re-exist’ and create a new utopia, Rodrigues explained.
Rodrigues also drew inspiration from contemporary stories, including Palestinian and Brazilian indigenous narratives, which influence the work’s foundation. Former Afghan provincial governor Zarifa Ghafari’s story is directly represented in the play.
Isabel Craveiro, Teatrão’s artistic director, emphasized the exploration of anxiety’s dimensions, which shapes the artists’ research. As a performer in the piece, Craveiro recalled the three residency periods across Portugal, during which different studies were conducted to develop the final production.
‘Dói-me o corpo de jazer nessa esperança’ will premiere at Teatrão in Coimbra, running until November 23, and will then move to the Auditorium Municipal António Silva (AMAS) in Agualva-Cacém from November 27 to December 6.
With a runtime of approximately 90 minutes, the play features sessions with Portuguese Sign Language interpretation on November 13 and 21, and audio description on November 19 and 23.
Complementary activities surrounding the play’s themes have been organized, including a discussion titled “Neoliberalism, and now?” held today at the Oficina Municipal do Teatro featuring guest João Rodrigues, a lecturer and researcher at the University of Coimbra, moderated by philosophy professor André Barata from the University of Beira Interior.
The original soundtrack for the play will launch on November 13 at Casa das Artes Bissaya Barreto in Coimbra, followed by a screening of Ruben Östlund’s ‘The Square’ and a cocktail party the next day at AMAS.
