The play debuts on April 13th and 14th, at 9:30 p.m., at the Cinema-Teatro Joaquim D'Almeida, in Montijo.
After an auspicious world premiere on March 16th at the Teatro Apolo in Patras, Greece, it is Montijo's turn to host the national premiere of the show "A Manual on Work and Happiness".
The artistic residency that was its origin lies in the last phase of a long project, also entitled "A Manual on Work and Happiness", which started in late 2016 and which brings together Portuguese, Italian and Greek institutional partners, in addition to a Spanish playwright, Pablo Gisbert and a Portuguese theater company, the flying suitcase.
With the support of the European Creative Europe Program, the "A Manual on Work and Happiness" project has already organized an International Seminar on Work and Happiness, hosted a residence for theatrical writing, where the text of the show we have now presented has been created, and promoted four trainings for cultural operators in three countries under a new Southern Coalition network.
The professional training of cultural agents and the development of audiences are the pillars of all these activities. And these pillars become especially relevant now that we have reached the stage of the artistic residences that will give rise to four different shows with different casts, to be presented in four cities, Patras in Greece, Montijo and Alcobaça in Portugal and Pergine in Italy.
It's a huge challenge to involve people with no experience in performing arts; convince them to come on this journey with us, generously sharing their time to reflect together on the future of work, on the frontiers of happiness and to create a spectacle that we believe is as captivating as it is provocative.
A MANUAL ON WORK AND HAPPINESS
Conception of the manual and direction Jorge Andrade, with assistance of Maria Jorge
Text Pablo Gisbert
With Vitor d'Andrade and a group of participants from Montijo: Adelino Lourenço, Ana Silva, Camila Lacueva, Carla Silva, Cátia Carrasquinho, Daniela Rodrigues, Gilda Gonçalves do Paço, Isabel Alves, João Jacinto, Kátia Rebolo, Laura Pancadas, Luís Silva , Maria Mascarenhas, Maria Quintino, Noémia Pires, Patrícia Frade, Patrícia Primavera, Paula Fernandes
Scenography José Capela with image editing by António MV
Light drawing Rui Monteiro
Scene Photography José Carlos Duarte
Promotional videos Jorge Jácome, Marta Simões
M / 12 Duration 70min (approx.)
Sipnose
A group of people, following an instruction manual, makes a show. Methodically, they set up scenery with landscapes from different parts of the world. Work. They collaborate and help each other to fulfill their tasks. Make a show, however fun it is, it takes work. It is laborious. To entertain themselves and the public, these working people tell stories. And they speculate about what future work may be: who will do it, how it will do it, for whom ... In the intervals, they join for a joint meal at the table.
A fellowship. There is a man who appears as coming from the landscapes, who addresses the group, and talks about life and the possibility of being happy. Everyone listens to him and then goes back to work.
