The play Cleopatra’s Nose, of Course!, directed by Cristina Carvalhal, premieres on September 12th at 9 pm and will run until October 5th at Teatro Variedades in Parque Mayer, Lisbon.
Between comedy and absurdity, a group of 23rd-century adventurers embarks on a ship bound for the past to alter history and achieve happiness and wealth. Will they achieve their desired outcome?
Pascal’s ironic phrase – “If Cleopatra’s nose had been smaller, the whole face of the earth would have changed” – inspires the title of the play written by Augusto Abelaira in 1962. Cristina Carvalhal adds a “of course!”, emphasising the irony and imbuing it with a critical tone that guides the entire performance.
“When I read Cleopatra’s Nose, I thought it was crazy, this whole thing about it being half-science fiction, set in the 23rd century, and addressing so many issues that are still on the table today,” says Cristina Carvalhal. “I wanted it to be Abelaira’s play (…). I didn’t want the adaptation to erase the original play because it’s very well-constructed, very comical (…); humor is a very enjoyable way to make us think, and the absurd is difficult terrain; as it strays from logic, it requires more creativity, so it’s this challenge of how this materializes on stage,” she adds.
In the narrative, a group of 23rd-century adventurers alters history and causes the Greeks to lose the Trojan War. Their goal is to be rich and happy. Upon their return, everyone switches roles without remembering anything, but the dissatisfaction remains. Between Ulysses and a talking rabbit, lost in time and absurdity, the inevitable question arises: wouldn’t it be easier to change the present?
The show, with a stage version and direction by Cristina Carvalhal, features performances by Alberto Magassela, Ana Sampaio e Maia, Carla Maciel, Heitor Lourenço, João Grosso, José Neves, Manuela Couto, Nuno Nunes, and Sílvia Filipe.
On September 12th, the show’s premiere will be preceded by the presentation of the Ageas Revelation Award of the National Theatre D. Maria II, an annual award that aims to recognise and promote emerging talent in the theatre scene.
The show will also feature audio-described sessions on September 26th and 28th, and a session with sign language interpretation on September 28th.
“Cleópatra’s Nose, of Course!” is the last of six projects from the National Theatre D. Maria II’s program to be presented at the Teatro Variedades in 2025, under a partnership between the two cultural venues.
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