In the adaptation we made of The Lusiads by Luís de Camões for the Museu Zoológico, we opted for a chronological view of Vasco da Gama’s voyage to India in order to synchronise it with the other voyage made by the audience during the show – the one throughout the museum.
We start in the quay, filled with lusitan vessels ready to depart, and where the crowd gathers to say farewell to their beloved ones. An important part is the famous episode of the Velho do Restelo.
Then the voyage passes along the western African coast and there’s a poetic description of what Portuguese sailors have found in these new lands. This coast ends in the Cape of Torments where we meet the impressive figure of Adamastor who suffers from an unsuccessful love affair.
After passing the cape we attend to the God’s council, in Olympus, that decides the Portuguese’s destiny. Meanwhile, they are already sailing in the vast Indian Ocean, where they cross a violent storm and reach, at last, Indian land.
There, after some peace and friendship promises exchanged between Vasco da Gama and the Samorim, the Portuguese head to Portugal carrying some proof of the new maritime discovery. During that return voyage, they are rewarded by Venus, who offers them the Island of Love, filled with nymphs and pleasures, where they could refresh themselves before the final part of the voyage until Lisbon. They arrived home two years and two months after they had left.
This performance was premièred on February 28th, 2005, in Coimbra, in Museu Zoológico da Universidade de Coimbra, included in the celebrations of Semana Cultural da Universidade de Coimbra, and was presented until March 20th of the same year.
+INFO
Museu Zoológico da Universidade de Coimbra | Coimbra
February 28th to March 20th, 2005 | 9:30pm
The Lusiads in the Zoo is the third work where we interact with a scientific institution, this time Museu Zoológico da Universidade de Coimbra, and was specifically conceived to be presented in the museum, in a similar way we had previously done in Museu da Ciência e da Técnica – Revolution of the Celestial Bodies (2001, 2003).
We consider stimulating not only the thematic interaction between theatre and science but also the use of places, historical or not, usually utilized for scientific use. For this reason, we are always available to face challenges in this area.
Discussion and Ideas Ana Val-do-Rio, Filipe de Góis, Mário Montenegro, Ricardo Trindade, Rita Juliana, Rui Capitão
Direction and Adaptation Filipe de Góis, Mário Montenegro
Cast Ana Val-do-Rio, Filipe de Góis, Mário Montenegro, Ricardo Trindade
Original Soundtrack Rui Capitão
Video Mário Montenegro, Ricardo Trindade
Wardrobe Rita Juliana Carvalho
Lighting Design Mário Montenegro
Technical Operation Alexandre Lemos, Rui Capitão
Set Design Marionet, Museu Zoológico da Universidade de Coimbra
Hair Design Ilídio Design
Stage Photography Francisca Moreira
With the Support of
Ilídio Design
INATEL – Delegação de Coimbra
MAFIA – Federação Cultural de Coimbra
Rádio Universidade de Coimbra
Acknowledgement
Clube Náutico Figueira da Foz (Dr. Miguel Amaral, Sr. Jaime), Associação Cristã da Mocidade, Sr. Fraga, Luís Pedro Madeira, Maria Isabel Costa, Teatro/Educação-ESEC, XM, TEUC, RUC, RDP, Maria João Feio, Marina Dolbeth, Sr. João, Fátima Lemos, Paula Mota, Mário Teixeira, Margarida Sousa, Alexandre Lemos