Companhia do Chapitô to premiere Saramago-based play

Companhia do Chapitô is set to premiere ‘Ensaio sobre a Lucidez’ this Thursday, marking the 30th anniversary of the theater company. The production is based on the work of José Saramago.

Director José Carlos Garcia stated that the play was chosen for its relevance to contemporary issues, specifically addressing the fragility of modern democracies and a lack of humanism. Unlike the company’s usual creative process, this production involved a page-by-page dissection of Saramago’s book to translate his allegory and imagination to the stage. The play explores themes of authoritarian impulses within democratic states and the impact of citizens choosing to vote blankly, which Garcia suggests can trigger fear within governments.