Pigmalião Escultura que Mexe (Brazil)

This show uses classic puppets and ancient fables to portray and try to understand what is happening today, in addition to combating the rise to power of histrionic, ridiculous, cruel and populist figures. The human body and the animal body, the living and the artificial, the flesh and wood, the strings and blood are here tools to open up new spaces for discussion, because even fables require a certain protocol before the massacre.

Fábulas Antropofágicas para Dias Fascistas [Antropophagic fables for fascist days] is a scenic project that uses string puppets and hyper-realistic silicone masks, crossing visual arts, theatre and contemporary philosophy to reflect on this historical moment in which we all live, based on a mixture of Aesop's Fables and the works of Márcia Tiburi, philosopher, artist, teacher, writer and researcher on fascism.

The humour is born from absurd situations, unexpected metaphors, which seek to make the audience reflect on the mechanisms of power in their daily lives, through situations where animals devour each other.

_{"The creators pleasantly surprised us with their minimalist and highly effective aesthetic from the very first minute of the show: we saw seven puppets representing different animals (sheep, fox, moose, lion, etc.) hanging from red strings at the back of the stage. More precisely, they weren't just animals, but anthropomorphic figures: although their heads looked like amorous animals, their bodies were human, with the muscular structure visible under the bare skin. Each puppet has very detailed and beautiful details: cowboy boots, a belt, etc. The dramaturgical basis of this show is a powerful interpretation of Aesop's Fables, which aims to explain how and why populists arise in the world, how it all starts with the apparently innocent slogan Make the Forest Great Again, and how all authoritarian systems eventually degenerate, always with the symbolic sacrifice of an 'innocent lamb' or simply a human being. The company has distinguished itself by the very delicate and professional puppet manipulation, which has allowed them to create extremely realistic characters, but without hiding the clearly visible red strings of the puppet control (...)." - Menu Faktura, www.menufaktura.lt}

BIO

Pigmalião Escultura Que Mexe is a group of artists coming from different areas, who have found in puppetry the ideal vehicle to develop shows that cross the borders between the visual and the performing arts. Created in 2007, the group has always focused on the creation of shows with cultural and philosophical depth, using the hypnotic effect caused by the illusion of alive puppets to make the audience think. The puppet and its relationship with the actor and the visual theatre are two of this group's principal searching objectives now. In the progressive building of its own identity, the Pigmalião group works for the acknowledgment of puppet theatre in the contemporary artistic production.

Eduardo Felix, the artistic director of Pigmalião, focuses much of his research and his shows on the movement of string puppets and is internationally recognized as an artist and puppet builder.

_CREDITS

_{Direction: Eduardo Felix Dramaturgy: Eduardo Felix, Márcia Bechara, freely inspired by the work of Aesop and by Márcia Tiburi Performers: Eduardo Felix, Mauro de Carvalho,  Igor Godinho, Liz Schrickte Puppet concept and sculpture: Eduardo Felix Puppet construction: Eduardo Felix, Mauro Carvalho, Márcio Miranda Modelling of silicone parts: Aurora Majnoni, Tom Pazzo Lighting design: Marina Arthuzzi Scenography and contribution to staging: Igor Godinho Sound design: Eduardo Felix Objects construction: Eduardo Felix, Márcio Miranda, Aurora Majnoni, Liz Schrickte, Igor Godinho, Matheus Carvalho Puppet painting: Analu Alves, Eduardo Felix Costumes: Eduardo Felix Seamstress: Camila Polatscheck Graphic designer: Liz Schrickte Photography: Henning Photo, Paolo Castaldi Coproduction: Festival Mondial des Théâtres de Marionnettes de Charleville-Mézières, L'Usinotopie, Fabrique des Arts de la Marionnette}

_{www.pigmaliao.com}