After performances in the capitals of São Paulo and Minas Gerais, and at the Curitiba Festival, the musical PROT{AGÔNISTAS – The Black Movement in the Ring arrives in Rio de Janeiro for three sessions. They will be held this Friday (14) and Saturday (15), at 7 pm, and on Sunday (16), at 6 pm. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at site from Sympla. The presentations take place at Circo Crescer e Viver, in the Cidade Nova neighborhood, in the central region of the city.
During the presentation this Friday (14), there will be a Libras interpreter and audio description. At 11 am, a free one-hour lecture will be held. The theme I am here – The place occupied by the black artist and his representativeness in the national cultural scene will be approached by special guest Thallita Flor, a black clown from Cia Mala de Mão.
Rio de Janeiro – Scene from the show Prot(agô)nistas. Photo: Sergio Fernandes/Disclosure – Sergio Fernandes/Disclosure
Director Ricardo Rodrigues informed that the show has authorial music and brings an Afro-centered version, with a narrative about black people in the diaspora in Brazil. the title itself PROT{AGONISTS} brings the word agô between keys, extracted from the Yoruba language, which symbolizes the opening of doors and paths.
Protagonism
“The protagonist name is in the plural because each artist has their moment of protagonism in the show, with the original songs of the band itself, which plays live, and the circus actions that take place within a narrative that speaks of love in the black community , black hair, quilombism, genocide. These are implicit situations, where the audience perceives and follows this circus celebration in the ring”, stated Rodrigues.
For the director, despite being sad themes, the show is not intended to make accusations. “He is celebratory, circus, euphoric even, I would say. The audience is very close together at the party. Above all, it’s celebration, it’s circus”.
Rio de Janeiro – Scene from the show Prot(agô)nistas. Photo: Sergio Fernandes/Disclosure – Sergio Fernandes/Disclosure
The Prot{agôn}nistas Collective is made up of 30 black artists, most of whom come from the peripheries. At the show in Rio, 21 artists will be on stage, including jugglers, trapeze artists, musicians, clowns, contortionists, dancers. The choreographies, ranging from capoeira to hip hopfrom ballet to GumbootDance, bring the acrobatic tone that permeates the entire show, with performances organized by Washington Gabriel. The lighting enhances the colors that highlight the essence of the pantheon of Africa.
The authors of the show are Coletivo Prot{agôn}nistas and Solas de Vento Cultural and Artistic Production. In June, it should be presented in Recife.
