So in 40 years of career in theater , what do you think has changed in Portugal , positive and negative?
RR : I cannot see things that way , in my way of life , I very naturalize things , is what it is. We are experiencing a phase of transmutation on human level , historically and culturally , not just in Portugal . We are all human beings and we have to learn to adapt to this way of living . Maybe it's a new opportunity that the world is giving us right now , it's probably time to change the paradigm at this time, to live and share things . I always heard of crisis since birth. The theater has always been in crisis , in my home was always said that, nothing is new to me . I never had pay holiday, or Christmas bonus, or unemployment fund , does not touch me in relation to what people complain about . Always dare in my life and I returned many times to the beginning. This show is proof of that me out of my comfort zone . I did a play with fifteen minutes in the quick theater, in small rooms, where we are almost to the lap of the public, after having made the greatest concert halls in the country . I was afraid, we all are , but it is inherent to life, I stepped forward and won . When we were in the theater Eduardo and I, we had not the notion of the importance of this project . Nor by the time we started rehearsing , we were driven by a great passion , because the theme is exciting , the text is wonderful because I can reconcile my role as an actress with the humanitarian . In this play I feel I am not only an actress , but also the people's consciences for their humanity . This is important , I do not feel like I'm doing something frivolous .
Let's talk about " Gisberta " , what were the challenges of this character?
RR : My vision is of the mother of Gisberta . What I am representing here has to do much with the unconditional love that can be and sometimes not . But if there is unconditional love is a mother's love , yet there are many women who cannot have it , for many different reasons , by the pressures of society , education , because of prejudice , stigma and discrimination. This play says it all, does not speak only of " Gisberta " transsexual who was murdered in 2006 in Porto, but rather, of we accept people with their differences with their choices , even as a mother . There is talk of love, relationships, and the time sometimes we lose in life by not being able to say we love people , even though we do. It is this fundamentally what the play says .
The challenge of this mother is trying to understand that son ?
RR : Yes , try to love him , even when he stops been her boy . And that's a lifetime. She repents for never having gotten to call him Gisberta .
It is also a reminder , a universal message ?
RR : Yes , of course it is. Completely . She is a mother of the world , not just the Gisberta , but any parent with a different child . It is also a little honor for all Gisbertas of the world .
Rita Ribeiro has always done a lot of theater , but little television.
RR : I did a lot of television .
But always prefers to return to the stage ?
RR : This is the kind of question : which is the child that you most like ? There is no distinction . I love doing television because I take very seriously .
But I remember you in television mainly in plays and in some soap operas .
RR : Yes , I always did a lot of television . In the last fifteen years I least here in Portugal , but not only here , the actors are very labeled . Is actress of this or what, only makes comedy and music , or just makes "revista" and this has to do with discrimination that are at all levels . This is also a great challenge . I dreamed a lot to do this kind of theater because I was tired of people labeling me , when an actor is an actor is versatile , does everything , just get a paper and wear the skin of the character . I do not really like labels .
What message would you give to young people who want to launch themselves in the theater ?
RR : What are certain of their dreams . It's like the Indians , dance until it rains , and if it is too complicated and there are many obstacles is likely that you are artists in another way, in a different light . I teach classes , had a theater school , was an after work course and there were people of all ages , but often I say to my students : do not convinced yourselves that you all will all be actors . However , there is one thing you learn when this theater is to be better person , is therapeutic and we learned a lot about ourselves . I think that's the only thing that we come to do in life to learn something about us . The theater is an elementary school for life . Its principles are life : learn to breathe , learn to concentrate and to relax .
