The way we experience a performance depends on many factors, and apart from our own references, the place where it is presented is inevitably one. If there is any narrative behind PT.23, it may certainly have many possible meanings. From ancient convents to theatres and recently renovated workshops, PT.23 took over no less than eight venues in two cities. To mention just a few, Keyla Brasil questioned what is sacred in European culture in a convent presumably from the 15th century; Marco da Silva Ferreira explored, among many others, the idea of “cultural crystallisation” on what we would call a conventional stage at the Cine-Teatro Curvo Semedo; Carincur dived into an acrylic water tank, her screams muffled by water in a 16th-century convent-turned-museum; and Gio Lourenço took kuduro out of the streets to a warehouse turned into a black box theatre.
If art continues to take on its purpose of questioning the world – or, as Pedro Barreiro said, “to create new worlds” – it better do it in more than the conventional presentation spaces, right? Yet in my conversation with Ferreira, he said something I kept thinking of: “Theatre is an elite space. Usually, when pieces are presented in a theatre, the elite has validated it. But what is presented in the theatre had already been happening outside it. So the theatre is a bit behind.”
So let’s take a look at the varied spaces – theatrical and non-theatrical – that we experienced at PT.23.
Lisboa
Teatro do Bairro Alto
Teatro do Bairro Alto is Lisbon’s new municipal theatre. It is dedicated to the creation and presentation of experimental artistic projects in theatre, dance, music and sound art and performance, by emerging and established, Portuguese and international artists. This was the starting point of PT.23. After two performances, by Gaya de Medeiros and Vânia Doutel Vaz, all PT.23 members gathered here to travel to Montemor-o-Novo.
Performances:
Gaya de Medeiros, BAqUE
Vânia Doutel Vaz, The Elephant in the Room
Montemor-o-Novo
BlackBox
BlackBox is one of the new venues from O Espaço do Tempo. It regularly welcomes projects with schools, associations, as well as an extensive calendar of shows, seminars, workshops and training actions, alongside other spaces of O Espaço do Tempo.
Performances:
Gio Lourenço, Boca Fala Tropa
Bernardo Chatillon, Reindeer Age #1
Magina
Due to rehabilitation works in its usual “home”, the Convento da Saudação, O Espaço do Tempo is currently based in Oficina Magina, a former workshop in the city. This is an emblematic industrial building in the centre of Montemor-o-Novo, which now houses two studios. It was also the place to find the most delicious vegan dishes during PT (and hear some Cante Alentejano by night).
Performances:
André e. Teodósio, Info Maniac
Mário Coelho, I’m Still Excited!
São Domingos Convent
Founded in 1559, it was only in 1619 that the Convent of the Dominicans of Montemor-o-Novo began to house a small religious community. After the extinction of the religious orders, the convent was sold at public auction and eventually it fell into disrepair. Fast forward to 1972: the Friends of Montemor-o-Novo sponsored a restoration project, designed by the architect Raul Santa Clara, which aimed to adapted the convent into a municipal library and Archaeological Museum. Diana Niepce and Carincur’s performances were beautifully framed in this convent, and on the outside Sanjoy Roy found an amazing setting to interview Mário Coelho.
Performances:
Diana Niepse, The Other Side of Dance
Carincur, Echos From a Liquid Memory
Cine-Teatro Curvo Semedo
Built to replace the Montemorense Theatre, which was destroyed by fire in 1922, the Cine-Teatro Curvo Semedo was inaugurated on 17 January 1960. Designed by the architect Raul Lino (who also designed the Tivoli Theatre in Lisbon), it is an important milestone in the history of Montemor. Used for a variety of activities, it has a capacity of around 700 people, with a regular programme of cinema, theatre and music. Curiosity: all PT.23 performances at Curvo Semedo were open to the local community and free.
Performances:
Marco da Silva Ferreira, Carcass
Tânia Carvalho, Versa-Vice
Lígia Soares, My Victory as a High Competition Gymnast
Daniel Matos, Vära
XL Box
XL Box is one of the new venues from O Espaço do Tempo. Opened in 2022, it aims to host and support artistic creation and new shows that will be showcased in other national stages. This infrastructure is so far the largest rehearsal room in the country. It was also the place to gather the largest number of people for dinner when heavy rain forced Magina to close and staff had to arrange a plan B.
Performances:
Rogério Nuno da Costa, Missed-en-Abîme
André de Campos, Sapo
Xana Novais, How to Kill Naked Women
Tita Maravilha & Cigarra, Trypas Corassão – A Ópera
Sociedade Carlista
The Sociedade Antiga Filarmónica Montemorense “Carlista” originates from a group of philharmonics organised in 1830 under the regency of Carlos Simões. It is the oldest cultural association in Montemor-o-Novo, with over 150 years in the service of culture, recreation and sports. The ambience is as good as you can imagine: locals gathering around a bar, sitting, drinking and chatting the whole day from one table to another. Not by chance was it also PT’s “meeting point”, basically the place to have a drink and relax between performances and, of course… to network.
Performance:
Piny, .G RITO
Oficinas do Convento
Oficinas do Convento is a non-profit cultural association founded in 1996, and located in the Convent of St Francis, presumed to be from the 15th century. It has been a UNESCO Centre since 2010 and develops its artistic activity essentially in the fields of visual arts, sound/music, design, and dance/performance, through artistic promotion, residency, training and production. Not only did we see Keyla Brasil’s performance in the decaying cloister, but we also had a guided tour of the site’s workshops and studios by Tiago Fróis, President of Oficinas do Convento.
Performance:
Keyla Brasil, Meu Profano Corpo Santo
