Antoine et Cléopâtre

Monumental and inspiring, the royal couple of Antony and Cleopatra will never truly rest in peace. Imbued with the lessons of Plutarch, as well as Shakespeare’s verse and the epic passion as portrayed by Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton on the screen, the great Portuguese director Tiago Rodrigues, who won over the hearts of festivalgoers in 2015 with By Heart, illuminates the ultimate myth.

A story as old as the hills, the tale has been revamped by Tiago Rodrigues for the dancers and choreographers Sofia Dias and Vítor Roriz, who share their lives both on and offstage. Whether through movement and gesture or in speech, they fully complement each other; Antony breathes in, Cleopatra breathes out. Sofia and Vítor incarnate the characters thoroughly, slipping into their very skins. There is no East versus West or Egypt against Rome; no man or woman, for that matter. What remains is love, a love that will forever be passion personified. A theatrical act rooted body and soul in the present.

Produced by Teatro Nacional D. Maria II
Initially produced by Mundo Perfeito
Written by Tiago Rodrigues including quotes from Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare Directed by Tiago Rodrigues
Performed by Sofia Dias + Vítor Roriz
Set design Ângela Rocha
Costume design Magda Bizarro + Ângelo Rocha
Lighting design Nuno Meira
Artistic collaborators Maria João Serrão + Thomas Walgrave
Set Construction Decor Galamba
Translation to French Thomas Resendes
Technical Director Carin Geada
Stage Manager Ana Catarina Mendes
Sound Design Pedro Costa
Executive producers for the initial project Magda Bizarro + Rita Mendes

Co-produced by Centro Cultural de Belém (Lisbon) + Centro Cultural Vila Flôr (Guimarães) + Temps d’Images (Lisbon)
With the support of Museu de Marinha (Lisbon)
Artistic residencies Teatro do Campo Alegre (Porto) + Teatro Nacional de São João (Porto) + Alkantara (Lisbon)

Presented with the support of CAMÕES Institut de la coopération et de la langue I.P. in association with Société de la Place des Arts + Festival international de la littérature (FIL)

Written by Jessie Mill
Translated by Neil Kroetsch

Premiered at Centro cultural de Belém, Lisbon, on December 4, 2014