International Comedy Theater Festival with 30 shows in the 23rd edition
The Maia International Comedy Theater Festival returns on Friday for the 23rd edition, bringing to the district of Porto a total of 30 shows, including Spanish, Italian and French pieces.
Produced by the Teatro Art’Imagem, in co-production with the Câmara da Maia, the event’s main motto is “laughter and humor”, betting on unprecedented shows in Portugal and “multiple facets and theatrical disciplines”, explains the artistic director, José Leitão, in a presentation text of the event.
Under the slogan “The Euthanasia of Resignation”, the program of this edition is written by the Spanish playwrights Pedro Calderón de la Barca or Luis Benavente, the Danish Hans Christian Andersen, among others, and various theatrical genres, such as physical theater, street theater, the new circus or the vaudeville.
On Friday, at 9:30 p.m., the opening performance is in charge of the Spanish Cia Vol’e Temps, with the new circus piece ‘Mundos Papel’, presented outdoors outside the Forum of Maia, before the Portuguese New Company to show the work ‘vaudeville’ ‘Kiki’, by 22:30, already in the large auditorium of the same space.
The Marimbondo duo performs at Maia ‘Clérikuss’ on Saturday, after having gone through several stations of the Porto Metro before the festival, on the same day of the Teatro Corsário (Spain) to show, at 9:30 pm, ‘Comic Classics’, reminding classic pieces of Spanish dramaturgy.
On Sunday, the highlight is for the French ‘Cie du Fil a Retordre’, who present ‘a Monde un Peu Meilleur’ ??at 9:00 p.m., shortly before the cross between concert and circus of ‘Clown in Libertà’ (Italy).
On the 8th, the American Leo Bassi is again present in Maia, to debut in Portugal ‘El Ultimo Bufon’, at 9:30 pm, at the Forum of Maia, in a work that reflects the 40 years of his career in theater.
The Galician Mofa & Befa presents in national debut ‘Privileged Cranios … or Crítica da Razón Perralleira’, while the Teatro Extremo presents, on the 12th, ‘Mythos’, before ‘O King Vai Nu’, of the Navel.
The closure is the responsibility of the Spanish company Yllana, who returns to the event to present, in a world premiere, ‘Gag Movie’, a “satire on fame and the seventh art”, scheduled for 9:30 pm on the 14th, in the great auditorium of the Maia Forum.
The 23rd edition also marks the first use of the Portuguese sign language interpretation of “some shows”, said the artistic director, who wants a “more inclusive and accessible” festival.
