‘Agustinópolis’, a play entirely composed of words and characters by the author of ‘A Sibila’, directed by João Brites with music by Jorge Salgueiro, premieres Friday at the Grande Auditório do CCB, with additional performances on Saturday and Sunday. This event marks the highlight of the celebrations for the Palmela-based theater collective, which shares its foundation date of October 15 with the author of ‘Vale Abraão’.
Literary critic, essayist, and playwright Maria João Reynaud, Mónica Baldaque, writer, painter, and museologist, and Agustina Bessa-Luís’s daughter, along with directors João Brites and Miguel Jesus from O Bando, will participate in the conference ‘Sobre a obra de Agustina,’ held on Saturday in the Foyer of the Grande Auditório do CCB.
The conference, described as a celebration of the author’s birth, highlights the pivotal moments of a theater project beginning with the selection of 96 characters painstakingly chosen by Maria João Reynaud and João Luiz (director), as noted in the CCB program.
Since Wednesday, the ‘liberaLinda’ project created by O Bando has been on display in the Foyer of the Grande Auditório do CCB as part of the celebrations for the group’s 50th anniversary and the 25th of April.
The project includes ‘Travessia,’ an exhibition of 24 costumes that marked the theater’s journey, and the screening of the documentary ‘oKupação’, directed by Rui Simões, about the theatrical occupation of TSF by O Bando on April 24, 2014. This dramatization was part of the commemorations of the 40th anniversary of the April Revolution and the theater group based in Palmela since 1999.
Featuring costumes from plays such as ‘Ti Miséria’ and ‘Morte’ (1982), ‘Cão das Lágrimas’ (2004), ‘Inês’ (2011), ‘Nina’ (1994), and ‘Xerazade’ (2023), ‘Travessia’ offers guided tours on Saturday from 3:00 PM to 4:15 PM and on Sunday from 2:00 PM to 3:15 PM.
The ‘oKupação’ documentary is also available for viewing today at 8:00 PM, Friday at 3:00 PM and 10:30 PM, Saturday at 3:00 PM and 9:30 PM, and Sunday at 2:00 PM and 8:15 PM.
On Wednesday evening, the third volume of the book ‘Atriz e Ator. Artistas’ by João Brites was launched, published by Bicho do Mato and Teatro Nacional D. Maria II, as part of the ‘Estudos’ collection.
The ceremony was attended by theater critic Eugénia Vasques, Professor João Maria André, João Brites, Susana Melo representing the publishers, and the Chairman of CCB’s Board of Directors, Nuno Vassallo and Silva.
O Bando was founded by six individuals, including João Brites, who continues to serve as the company’s artistic director, on October 15, 1974.
