ANA BORRALHO & JOÃO GALANTE | Trigger of happiness
8 September | 8.00 p.m.
9 September | 8.15 p.m.
Sala 1 | La Pelanda
1h45′
national premiere
concept and artistic direction | Ana Borralho & João Galante
light designer | Thomas Walgrave
sound | Coolgate, Pedro Augusto
collaboration for the dramaturgy | Fernando J. Ribeiro
artistic assistance | Alface (Cátia Leitão), André Uerba
performer | a group of 12 local young adults : Andrea Casanova, Carolina Tilde Scimiterra, Chiara Ficarra, Claudia Faraone, Flavio di Paolo, Giulia Venturini, Leonardo Schifino, Mario Vai, Mattia Colucci, Pietro Turano, Lorna Massucci, Riccardo Osti Guerrazzi.
organization and distribution | Andrea Sozzi
production | casaBranca
co-production Maria Matos Teatro Municipal, (Lisboa, Portugal), Jonk (Jönköping, Suécia), Nouveau Théâtre de Montreuil – CDN (França), Le phénix – scène nationale Valenciennes pôle européen de création(França)
supported by | CM- Lagos, Espaço Alkantara, LAC – Laboratório de Actividades Criativas, SIN Arts and Culture Centre, Companhia Olga Roriz
Instituto Camões e dell’Ambasciata del Portogallo in Italia
What are we talking about when we talk about happiness? How can we be happy in a Society that is not? To create Trigger of happiness, Ana Borralho & João Galante relate with the city that hosts them, involving young people between the ages of 18 and 23, letting them express themselves concerning one of life’s crucial questions: happiness. Happiness is something different for everyone; it is a mental state, a state of material satisfaction or a simple sensation of well-being. The two Portuguese artists ask 12 young men and women, all of uncertain future and recent pasts, to give their answer to what is happiness. Using a dramaturgical mechanism that simulates the game of Russian roulette, the two artists explore the definition of a complex concept, essential and maligned, asking questions about the ideas of happiness of this group of young people, in a crucial phase of their lives, living in a social, political and economic reality that is so difficult that it allows little space for desire and hope. The twelve young people, that for the express wishes of the company were not to have any familiarity with the performance methods, were chosen by the Festival in collaboration with the company itself.
Trigger of Happiness is a participative performance that questions and gives the stage to a group of “young adults”, along with their dreams and expectations, their conflicts, risks, possible challenges, questions of identity, their visions and new experiences, forcing them to confront us with our own desires and frustrations, with our own capacity to accept and live with change.
Ana Borralho & João Galante met while studying visual arts. In the nineties, they worked as actors and co-writers for the physical theatre company Olho. Since 2002, they have worked doing performing arts, dance and installations, collaborating to create trans-disciplinary projects that explore hybrid forms and alternative practices. Their work is based on the conviction that art is a part of Society: as such, it must be involved in facing its changes and problems, acting as an agent of transformation, existing in direct relationship with people. Ana Borralho & João Galante are a couple in real life, a unique entity with two bodies – an essential biographic element in understanding their work. Along with Mónica Samões, they created the cultural association casaBranca and they are the artistic directors of the Verão Azul Festival in the Algarve Region.
