Miniature Short Dramas

These texts, written during the First World War, reveal a lesser-known Craig, who imagined a cycle of 365 plays for puppets. Although he never finished this immense project, only around fifty texts were finalised or drafted, he never stopped correcting or completing them for almost forty years. The tiny size of each piece is often combined with various levels of narrative, nonsense and absurd humour. Craig presents sketches that future directors and puppeteers should finish.

Miniature Short Dramas is built on the basis of some of these micro-plays, in a tropical and surrealist environment, in which other authors will intervene, such as Tristan Tzara, René Magritte, Jacques Prévert or Mário-Henrique Leiria, in a narrative made up of meaningless stories, in an effort to try to discover the meaning of the world, like a cadavre exquis, a common feature of Tarumba's work.

"There are only three ways to live in this world: either drunk, or in love, or as a poet."

- Mário Cesariny

The presentation of the show can be complemented with a Toy Theatre and Articulated Figures Workshop.

PRESS

"The result is absurd, ironic, and wonderful; it is also another example of what this couple can do with toy theatre, small video cameras, music, and a keen taste for nonsense and fun."
- João Carneiro, Newspaper Expresso - Revista E, 2 May 2025

"The directors of FIMFA also presented the very funny Short Miniature Dramas (...). In the relaxed setting of Hawaii, Rute Ribeiro and Luís Vieira create micro-scenarios and cardboard puppets, which are part of a dizzying storytelling experience by the seaside. The duo takes turns manipulating the cardboard puppets, which gain movement and large dimensions, using four surveillance cameras used simultaneously. We can consider this a low-tech project that does justice to the detail of each card (as if it were a film frame), complementing this delicacy in the graphic and plastic design work with video technology. In the face of a world in turmoil, the presentation of small surrealist stories without an apparent meaning has the effect of rescuing an intelligent comedy about humanity. It is no coincidence that the last scenario shows a quote by Mário Cesariny: There are only three ways to live in this world: either drunk, or in love, or as a poet."
- Mónica Baptista, Le Monde Diplomatique, July 2025

"La Dolce Vita - Surrealistic incursions in Hawaii (…) A century later, Tarumba's latest creation crosses Craig's work with the surrealist movement, establishing curious connections with the world of puppetry: the techniques of frottage and free association of ideas are revisited in a game of metamorphoses of articulated figures, projection of images with light effects, shadows, and optical illusions. A hundred years later, we are still in need of an “échapée belle” to console us from the unusual state of the world. Miniature Short Dramas expands the possibilities of diversion through humor and nonsense: escaping to Hawaii, where heads float with bowler hats and apples covering Magritte's face, with lime slices resting on cocktails; enjoying a ‘silly season’ atmosphere with animated forms full of poetry and eccentricity."
- Catarina Firmo, Sinais de Cena - Journal of Theatre and Performing Arts Studies, série 3, n.º 4, June 2025

^FESTIVALS:

^{-BIME 2025 - Bienal Internacional de Marionetas de Évora, 5 and 6 de june 2025, Teatro Garcia de Resende (Évora, Portugal);}

^{-FIMFA Lx25 - Festival Internacional de Marionetas e Formas Animadas, 20 and 21 May 2025, São Luiz Teatro Municipal (Lisbon, Portugal);}

^{-FIMP - Festival Internacional de Marionetas do Porto, 16 and 17 October 2024, Teatro do Belomonte (Porto, Portugal).}

^{The show premiered on 16th October 2024 at Festival Internacional de Marionetas do Porto, in Teatro do Belomonte.}

^CREDITS

^{Artistic direction, concept, scenography, puppets and performers: Luís Vieira, Rute Ribeiro Sound design: Miguel Lucas Mendes Stage assistance and executive production: Rita Caetano Soares Executive production:Mariana Monteiro Photography: Luís Vieira, Pedro Sardinha, Margarida Barbedo Supports and partnerships: Câmara Municipal de Lisboa, EGEAC Company supported by: República Portuguesa - Ministério da Cultura | DGArtes Technique: Articulated paper figures, objects and mini cameras For audiences over: +12 Running time: Approx. 40 min.}