Culture

TNSJ celebrates one century with an "almost" resident company

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Afonso Santos, Joana Carvalho, João Melo, Maria Leite, Mário Santos and Rodrigo Santos are the resident staff of the National Theatre São João.

As of March, celebrations kick off to mark 100 years of the TNSJ, in Porto, which includes the Rehabilitation Programme in the framework of the NORTE 2020 Operational Programme.

Also, celebrations will be ongoing till March 2021, and include shows and performances hosted at other venues that are run by TNSJ, namely the Teatro Carlos Alberto (TeCA) and the Mosteiro de São Bento da Vitória; over 30 shows, three in-house productions, 11 premieres - nine national and two international -, eight international performances and 11 co-productions.

The centennial is marked on 7 March and features the performance "Turismo Infinito", by Ricardo Pais, based on the work by Fernando Pessoa; on stage till 9 March.

This will be a full day with guided tours, the projection of "Castro", the first in-house production by TNSJ, staged by Nuno Cardoso, at the Batalha Square, at the same time that it is performed in the Aveirense Theatre, masterclasses, and readings of drama texts.

In April 2020, the TNSJ features "KastroKriola", a version of the play "Castro" with Cabo Verdean actors, which debuts in Cabo Verde on 5th July - Cabo Verde's Independence Day, as the result of the cooperation protocol signed between the governments of Portugal and Cabo Verde, and the TNSJ, in September 2019.

Moreover, the TNSJ will release the collection of six thematic volumes, titled "Cadernos do Centenário" ["Centennial Booklets", free translation]. The first is released on 7th March, the day TNSJ celebrates one hundred years old, and it will be the "Elogio do Espectador" ["Spectator's Eulogy", free translation], featuring the compilation of the testimonies of 100 Portuguese personalities on 100 shows programmed by the TNSJ.

September brings the exhibition that will present various thematic issues, from architecture to the history of the building and its uses, in the scope of its relationship with the city and the history of the country. This exhibit is set with the support of written documentation, digital animation, photography and film/video.

International relevant productions will go on stage at TNSJ, under the "o Olhar de Ulisses" project, which includes hosting manifold foreign shows, namely by Angélica Liddell (Spain), Jorge A. Vargas (Mexico), Sergio Boris (Argentina), Frank Castorf (Germany) or Christiane Jatahy (Brazil). Within the DDD Festival also, the TNSJ hosts two national premieres: "ELENIT" (Greece) and "L'Affadissement du Merveilleux" (Canada) - and by the end of April, Mathilde Monnier (France, La Ribot (Spain and Switzerland) and Tiago Rodrigues (Portugal) take to the stage "Please please please", included in the Semana +.

It is worth mentioning that Companies from the city of Porto are high on performances' debut at TNSJ; till July, there will be nine premieres by d'A Turma and Circolando, created by André Braga and Cláudia Figueiredo, just to mention a few.

In May, the newest play by Ricardo Alves, "A Palmilha Dentada, from a text by Molière. That same month, Rogério de Carvalho goes on stage at Teatro do Bolhão, with a performance based on the work by Alfred de Musset.

Also, in June and July, "A.N.T.I.G.O.N.A", the latest creation by Gonçalo Amorim takes to the stage at Teatro Experimental do Porto. Carlos Pimenta adapts Anton Tchékhov for the Ensemble - Sociedade de Actores.



The year that marks 100 years of TNSJ is a special year! As of March, the TNSJ establishes the project "Bolsa de Bilhetes Sociais" ["Social Tickets Grant", free translation], which will enable audiences that struggle to buy tickets for the theatre, to have access to shows and performances at reduced prices, it is the solidarity grant, where protocol attendees and guest are also invited to pay one euro per ticket. 

And the National Theatre São João will close for rehabilitation work from 31 March 2021 to 1 October 2021. The budgeted works total EUR 1.5 million.

"This will enable to prepare the TNSJ for thirty years of non-stop activity. In 2021, we will be under different stage footlights and boards", stated the President of the institution, Pedro Sobrado.