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 ‧
October 27 and 28, 2012 ‧ Fábrica ASA (Guimarães)
January 23 and 26, 2013 ‧ Teatro Municipal Maria Matos (Lisbon)