Details

Valentine and Proteus are best friends until they fall in love with the same girl. Having travelled to Milan in search of adventure, they both fall for the Duke's daughter Silvia. But Proteus is already sworn to his sweetheart Julia at home in Verona, and the Duke thinks Valentine is not good enough for his Silvia. With friendship forgotten, the rivals' affections quickly get out of hand as the four young lovers find themselves on a wild chase through the woods, confused by mistaken identity and threatened by fierce outlaws before they find a path to reconciliation. Performed in Portuguese with English surtitles. The Barbican brings the Brazilian theatre company Nós de Morro to London for the first time with its production of Shakespeare’s comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona. Switching effortlessly from comic to serious, the energetic company of young actors infuse the text with song, movement and capoeira in a beautifully uncomplicated production. Location and mood are indicated through the use of the actors’ bodies and simple props take on a life of their own. The Two Gentlemen of Verona is performed in Portuguese with English surtitles. Nós de Morro is based in Vidigal, one of the toughest favelas in Rio de Janeiro. Gutti Fraga, who runs the company, gives young people from this disadvantaged community an opportunity to experience culture, art and citizenship through the theatre and visual arts. Nós de Morro’s The Two Gentlemen of Verona received a one-off performance during the RSC’s Complete Works festival in 2006.

Creatives/Company

Author: Shakespeare
Producer: BITE08
Company: Nos de Morro
Director(s): Gutti Fraga, Fatima Domingues, Johayne Hildefonso, Miwa Yanagizawa, Johayne Mildefonso (movement)
Design: Fernando Mello da Costa
Lighting: Fred Pinheiro
Costume: Kika de Medina
Music(s): Gebriela Guluda, Wellington Soares