Based on a collection of traditional stories from the Guimarães region, Chris Thorpe has written a text that, in line with mala voadora’s proposal, evokes some of melodrama’s own resources: things like fate and sacrifice, a certain blackness – which, in melodramas, are arranged so that good wins. Stories in which good wins and evil is punished build a moral order.

As in a soap opera recording studio (one of the strongholds of melodrama), various scenarios are juxtaposed: the kitchen of the home of a priest (whose church is falling apart) and his mistress; the office where two security guards keep an eye on everything that goes on in the show via surveillance cameras; the dining room of a family who have given their seventh child to the wolves; the living room where two women have fun sneering at the victory of good in the stories; the office where a man tries to sell his own show to a group of Chinese businessmen, and a white space where the priest and mistress run to when storms roll in.

Overdrama, casa & jardim and dead end make up a triptych of texts by Chris Thorpe for mala voadora that was published on the occasion of the company’s 10th anniversary.

direction Jorge Andrade text Chris Thorpe and tales from oral tradition collected by Francisco Martins Sarmento with Anabela Almeida, Jani Zhao, Joana Bárcia, Joana Vieira, Jorge Andrade, Mónica Garnel, Rui Lima, Sérgio Martins, Simão Cayatte and Tânia Alves, among others set design José Capela, with execution by Carlos Maia costumes José Capela light Daniel Worm d’Assumpção soundtrack Rui Lima and Sérgio Martins promotional image Amaya González Reyes production Manuel Poças coproduction Guimarães 2012 Capital Europeia da Cultura support Comuna Teatro de Pesquisa, Teatro Municipal Maria Matos, Taberna das Almas

datasdates

October 27 and 28, 2012 ‧ Fábrica ASA (Guimarães)

January 23 and 26, 2013 ‧ Teatro Municipal Maria Matos (Lisbon)