A decade of performances in the most "unusual" spaces, of non-conformity with conventions, of appealing to the public's curiosity and of introducing contemporary circus into the cultural lexicon of a wider audience. It is with this premise that, from 16 to 20 July, the Vaudeville Rendez-Vous International Festival, promoted by the Didascália Theatre, returns to the cities of the Cultural Quadrilateral for another edition - the 10th. As a way of commemorating the anniversary, the initiative, which features a total of 15 shows, is expanding, for the first time, to conventional theatres and venues, continuing the mission it took on precisely 10 years ago: to eliminate borders and confront the public with the unknown.
Over five days of intense programming strongly centred on acrobatics, Barcelos, Braga, Guimarães and Vila Nova de Famalicão will host four shows in the theatre and 25 performances in public spaces. With eight national premieres, the Festival also highlights seven mediation activities, including workshops and moments of debate and sharing. The call for intercultural dialogue is one of the pillars of this year's edition, which features national and international artists from Belgium, Brazil, Chile, South Korea, Spain, France, the Netherlands and Switzerland.
In a year of retrospection, Bruno Martins, head of Vaudeville Rendez-Vous programming and artistic director of Teatro da Didascália, says that the Festival "has established itself as an important showcase for the best of national and international productions, with a programme that is both experimental and popular and capable of unsettling audiences". Looking ahead to the next 10 years, he doesn't forget the role of everyone who has contributed to Vaudeville's success, evoking "the many hands that have helped us count to 10 and that now stand up to wave to the future".
The circus also "fits" within four walls
The initial days of the 2024 edition will be marked by the initiative's "debut" in conventional spaces, with performances in four theatres in the Quadrilátero Minhoto. Bruno Martins clarifies this decision, expressing the desire to demythologise the idea that circus arts are an artistic language linked to the street: "To mark the tenth edition, we wanted to launch a broad reflection on how much remains to be done in the development of contemporary circus in the national context, namely in its representation in the programming schedules of theatres across the country. Circus is not just a street art, just as theatre is not a language confined to the boards of the stage; both can happen anywhere, even in a theatre."
The Theatro Gil Vicente, in Barcelos, is hosting the start of Vaudeville Rendez-Vous with the national premiere of "Cá entre nós", by the Doisacordes company (a Brazilian, Chilean and Spanish co-production), on 16 July at 21h30. This poetic duet, which uses strings and knots to explore the connection and reconnection between two individuals, has already been recognised by circusnext, with the support of the platform and the European Union.
On the 17th, also at 9.30pm and simultaneously, three productions take to the stage. The gnration space in Braga hosts "Masha", an innovative approach, also honoured by circusnext, to the use of the human body as a circus device, presented for the first time in Portugal by the Spanish duo Palimsesta. In an edition, that invites reflection on the role of contemporary circus in the cultural panorama, French artist Edouard Peurichard brings "Le Repos du Guerrier" to the Vila Flor Cultural Centre in Guimarães - an intimate and critical look at the professional career of a circus artist at the end of his career. Closing the programme in conventional venues, the Portuguese Margarida Monteny performs at the Casa das Artes in Famalicão with "BLUE", an aerial acrobatics project created especially for indoors.
National and international productions once again invade public spaces
In addition to the performances at the municipal theatres, fans and onlookers of the circus arts can continue to enjoy the usual entertainment that takes over the streets of Barcelos, Braga, Guimarães and Famalicão during Vaudeville Rendez-Vous. The national premiere of "C'est pas là, c'est pas là", a proposal by the Galmae Company - based in Marseille and Seoul - is one of the most eagerly awaited moments of this edition. On 18 July, at 10pm, at Largo do Pópulo, in Braga, the audience will be the protagonists of the performance by South Korean artist Juhyung Lee, who, using a rope, promotes interaction between strangers and the search for a sense of community.
The 18th of July will also see the national premieres of "It happens", by Spanish artist La Campistany (at 7pm, in Praça de Pontevedra, Barcelos); "Ludo & Arsène", by Belgian company Be Flat (at 7pm, in Alameda D. Maria II, Famalicão). Maria II, Famalicão); "Idiòfona", the latest creation by Spanish artist Joan Català (7pm, Paço dos Duques de Bragança, Guimarães); and "La Boule", by French artists Kim Marro & Liam Lelarge (10pm, Praça de Pedra - Jardim do Paço dos Duques de Bragança, Guimarães).
National contemporary circus will also be represented throughout the Festival. The emerging company AbsurdA, founded in Famalicão in 2021, presents "HEQET", a creation inspired by the plagues of Egypt, on 18 July (at 7pm in Praça Municipal, Braga), 19 July (at 7pm in Largo de Donães, Guimarães) and 20 July (at 11am in Parque da Juventude, Famalicão). The Circo Caótico group, a regular at Vaudeville Rendez-Vous, defies gravity at Praceta Francisco Sá Carneiro in Barcelos and Praça D. Maria II in Famalicão (at 10pm on 18 and 19 July respectively) with "Pó de Pedra". As a result of the artistic residency programme Ensaios de Circo by the Erva Daninha company, creator and performer Inês Pinho presents "Os Gatos Caem Sempre de Cara ou Como Salvar as Abelhas", on 19 July (at 7pm, in Praça Manuel SottoMaior, Famalicão) and 20 July (at 11am, in Praceta Francisco Sá Carneiro, Barcelos, and at 7pm, in Rossio da Sé, Braga).
Learning and debating the circus arts
As usual, the Vaudeville programme offers a range of mediation activities, including four workshops accessible to everyone: the "Movimentado" dance workshop with André Araújo, the "Sòl" diabolo workshop with Dídac Gilabert, the "Voos Rasos" aerial acrobatics workshop with Daniel Seabra and a juggling workshop with Ariana Silva. Joan Català, a Spanish artist who is performing at the 10th edition of the Festival with "Idiòfana", is offering a masterclass centred on the process of artistic creation and the relationship between circus and public space. The workshop, designed for artists and other professionals in the field of circus and street arts, is scheduled for 19 July at 3pm at the D. Diogo de Sousa Museum of Archaeology in Lisbon. Diogo de Sousa Archaeological Museum in Braga.
And with the 10th anniversary of the Vaudeville Rendez-Vous Festival in mind, the "10 years +" round table brings together cultural professionals who have dedicated themselves to the creation and programming of circus and street arts, inviting reflection on what has already been done and what remains to be done to promote this artistic language in Portugal. The event will take place at the Café-Concerto of the Casa das Artes in Famalicão on 20 July at 15h00.
Participation in the activities is free, but is subject to prior registration using the appropriate forms. The rest of the Vaudeville Rendez-Vous programme is also free of charge, but specific rules apply for reserving a seat at the indoor shows. You can find all this information, as well as the registration forms for the mediation activities, here.