In 1872 Charles Darwin published his work “The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals” where he presents his research on the relation between facial expressions and emotional states in humans and other animals. One of his research sources was the work of the French physician and physiologist Guillaume Duchenne who, in his work “Mecanisme de la Physionomie Humaine”, presents the result of his experiments where he applied electric shocks in certain areas of the face of some patients, in order to identify the muscles involved in the expression of certain emotions. His work includes photographic images of his experiments, which Duchenne considered the best method to register is work. Some years later, Darwin used these pictures in an experiment with a group of friends of his, asking them to identify the emotion behind the expressions of Duchenne “models”. The results of Darwin’s experiment pointed to the universal recognition of the so-called basic emotions (sadness, rage, surprise, fear, disgust, contempt and joy).

The ways human beings express and communicate with each other have evolved drastically in recent years. At the time of Duchenne’s experiments, the photographic camera was a recent invention, introducing a new support for image communication that the French physician quickly adopted. Nowadays, we tie and untie communicational knots without seeing the wrinkles on the other’s face, we create digital alter-egos, avatars, which we use to relate to other human beings and which can capture and reproduce our facial expressions in real-time. A virtual skin.

We departed from these references and Duchennes’ images to the creation of our “The Expression of the Emotions”. The basic idea was to create an experimental device where we would invite the audience into, to make them sense the ways we communicate and express ourselves and reflect on the small bias between the expression of an emotion and an emotional state, about what we construct upon what we think the other is feeling.

The theatre stage is a device created and still frequently used to express emotions. Consequently, our approach to this theme using this device necessarily constitutes some sort of meta-analysis on the expression and communication medium which is the theatre.

Along with the stage play, and focusing on the same theme of the expression of emotions, we developed LabX – Experimental Laboratory of Photography, oriented by the photographer Susana Paiva and with the participation of eleven volunteers. The results will be presented together with the play in Teatro da Cerca de São Bernardo. They are an additional group of eyes, reflections and provocations on the theme of the expression of emotions.

All this will be a series of intense experiences. Not to be missed. Only three days, like Carnival.