Some perspectives intersect in the longevity of time. Created by Theatro Circo, Frente e Verso invites us to take a colorful look at contemporaneity, based on the idea that we coexist in the same time and for this reason, similar themes are disturbing us.

Through narratives and vocabularies that result from this same historical context, Frente e Verso presents Blackface, by Marco Mendonça, and Cantar de Galo, by the theatre company Mala Voadora. In these two very different monologues, the performers interact with video or images generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and investigate strategies for representing a collective and national identity that has infiltrated our imagination for a long time: a cultural icon such as Galo de Barcelos, or a theatrical convention that was also prevalent in other countries, such as Blackface.
 

Blackface, by Marco Mendonça
Written and directed by Marco Mendonça, Blackface is a multifaceted musical conference that arises from a compilation of autobiographical experiences, testimonies, and a survey of records of blackface - a racist theatrical practice that originated in the United States of America and spread to other Western cultures, including Portugal.

In this play, the actor, writer, and director uses satire as a critical tool to challenge the very limits of humor, questioning what can and cannot be represented on stage and arguing that blackface is not humor and that humor is not racism, stressing that racism, far from being an issue of the past, is still a present reality.
 

Cantar de Galo, by Mala Voadora
Deconstructing the ‘official’ narrative of the story of Galo de Barcelos, Cantar de Galo brings to life this symbol of justice and protection of the innocent through Jorge Andrade's interpretation. In this version, the best-known souvenir of Portuguese popular culture discovers its role in Portugal's nationalist conspiracy, confronting the dictator António de Oliveira Salazar - with whom it acts out a deepfake - and exposing the real history of Estado Novo propaganda.

Written by award-winning American writer Robert Schenkkan for Mala Voadora's artistic director Jorge Andrade, the play combines humor with technology, using artificial intelligence in a provocative way.
 

The pieces will be performed at Theatro Circo, in Braga, on 3 and 4 October (respectively). In addition to the tickets for each show, full passes are also available, giving access to both sessions. Learn more about Frente e Verso at theatrocirco.com.