by the show Portable he had already conquered Portuguese territory in 2015 and is now back. Gregório Duvivier, João Vicente de Castro and Gustavo Miranda join the Portuguese actress and comedian Inês Aires Pereira, in a production without script, but structured. The show is at the Teatro Tivoli BBVA, but it was at the Hotel Tivoli that we met the director Bárbara Duvivier (Gregório’s sister) and also half of the group which, in Lisbon, will be on stage from Saturday, with several sessions until Monday, before heading to other parts of the country.
Portable is a creation of the Brazilian collective Porta dos Fundos. Each show begins with an interview with a member of the public, so no two sessions will be the same. Improvisation is the key word, but behind it there is a structured narration so as not to lose the thread.
The dates in Lisbon are already sold out. As well as all those of this tour which also passes by the Casino of Tróia, the Teatro Sá da Bandeira, in Porto, and the Forum Braga. What is the secret of such success on this side of the Atlantic? “They are almost more recognized here than in Brazil. I think because of people’s niche. In Brazil, television is still very important and I think the Internet is entering a more important niche there. And there, I think it managed to make its way in general, the humor corresponded to the Portuguese humor. Porta dos Fundos comes with a humor that’s a bit different from Brazilian TV humor and that they had already drunk in Portugal, from the stinky cat… Gregório is very much in love with Ricardo [Araújo Pereira]. have this exchange”explains the director. “Is very beautiful.”
“The Portuguese public is an interested and curious public, which likes good things. When we came here for the first time, we were very well received, I think that really created a bond. And we drank a lot from the fountain there stinky cat”, complete João Vicente de Castro. “It is a cultural exchange that interests both parties. Gregório Duvivier confirms: “The public’s proposals are very interesting, poetic, different from Brazil. This is another show that started when we arrived in Portugal and discovered that we could do the show in another way.
After having invited César Mourão to go on stage with Portable in 2016, while the cast also included Luís Lobianco, it is now Inês Aires Pereira, the Portuguese woman who will act as a bridge between Porta dos Fundos and the public. What can the actress bring with her on this new tour? “Spontaneity, which is the most important”Gregório Duvivier defends himself. “That’s the cheap thing about improvisation. Studying and training is not as important as being present. And he is a very present, very spontaneous person. It’s almost a job of unlearning, breaking with our comedic habits and trying to undress, you know? Figuratively, of course, we don’t undress anyone. But that’s the idea and it’s very spontaneous, authentic. João Vicente de Castro adds: “And there is also the cultural side. I think she has the possibility of a different type of connection with the Portuguese public, because she is from here. We have already done it with César Mourão and there was a lot of that. He had jokes that sometimes even we didn’t understand and the audience was dying of laughter. It was something very Portuguese.
During our conversation on Thursday, the Porta dos Fundos team had not yet met Inês Aires Pereira. “It looks like an arranged marriage, a blind date, what are we going to do with Inês. We know her work but have never met her in person, let’s meet her [sexta-feira], on the first test. So we are super anxious,” Bárbara says. And they are not alone. According to the director, the guest actress is also “super nervous, but excited.”
Tivoli BBVA Theater. Sat 9:30 p.m., Mon 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. 20€-30€.
+ The Irreverente festival brings real improvisation to the stage
+ Nuno Artur Silva returns to the stage with a new version of his comedic solo
