"1974" on stage at the National Theatre of Dona Maria II, in Lisbon ...

The main objective of this play is to take us through the major periods of the Portuguese history, focussing on the Portuguese identity (what is left of it) and having the 1974 April revolution as a reference - the dictatorship prior to it and the years that were to follow.

The issue was aproached in a majestic theatrical way, whose importance lies on multiple scenic changes, in which eleven actors impersonate various characters throughout the long period of history, not depending on the word to convey the behavioural changes, but rather using their bodies ... the music, the stage space ... the subtleties of the dialogues or even the absence of speech ...

To single out an actor or a scene may be difficult because Meridional theatre company has once more shown us that the acting and scene sequencing were as cohesive as one would expect  from a successful company.

Many of those watching the play were old enough to have "experienced" the "before and after", though a few seemed fairly young to have been born by 1974 and consequently "exposed" to what was just taught at school or eventually read in books.

In the words of Miguel Seabra, who got up this play, "1974 is a fable on the short-living utopia, the story of a noble opportunity and what we have made out of it or have not yet been able to".

Which better opportunity to watch this play !!!... now ... that the "Portuguese identity" seems to be at stake ...



Stage Management and Light design - Miguel Seabra
Artistic Assistance - Jean Paul Buchieri
Theatrical Representation - Francisco Luis Parreira
Stage setting - Marta Carreiras
Original Music - José Mário Branco

Cast of Actors
Carla Galvão
Cláudia Andrade
David Pereira Bastos
Emanuel Arada
Filipe Costa
Inês Lua
Inês Mariana Moitas
João Melo
Miguel Damião
Rui M. Silva
Susana Madeira