Marco Martins / Arena Ensemble
Um Inimigo do Povo
January
2026
Fri
16
Sat
17
Sinopse
In December 2024, while Marco Martins was considering adapting Henrik Ibsen's An Enemy of the People, focusing on the conflict between the individual and the collective, the PSP (Public Security Police) carried out a controversial police operation on Rua do Benformoso in Lisbon. Around 60 immigrants were forced to stand against a wall with their heads in their hands for two hours. Footage of the incident, captured by residents, went viral and sparked public debate about the legitimacy of the action and the exposure of people with no criminal records. This case became a symbol of how immigration has been treated in Europe, generating manipulative political discourse from both the far right and the media. With journalistic investigation by Joana Pereira Bastos and Raquel Moleiro, the play will be based on the testimonies and biographies of these individuals, now included in the cast. — Marco Martins / Arena Ensemble
speeches
migrations
manipulation
conflict
mediatisation
© DR
© DR
Aditional info
- Price
12€
-
Duration
To be defined
- Age rating
To be defined by CCE
- Additional information
Spoken in Portuguese, English, Bengali and Nepali with Portuguese subtitles
Acessibilidades do espetáculo
Accessible to wheelchair users
Text
Author's bio text
Marco Martins was born in Lisbon in 1972. His extensive work spans diverse fields, from cinema to the visual arts, including theatre. Trained at the Higher School of Theatre and Film, the Tisch School of the Arts, and the HFF – University of Television and Film in Munich, his films have been presented at major international festivals. In theatre, Marco Martins founded the Arena Ensemble in 2007, together with Beatriz Batarda, and has served as its artistic director ever since. Marco Martins's creations for theatre include classical works and community projects, including Baralha, Estaleiros, Todo o Mundo É um Palco, Provisional Figures Great Yarmouth, Selvagem, Pêndulo and Blooming. His work has progressively been anchored in the intersection of diverse performance languages and in collaboration with non-actors and specific communities. The long creative processes, with a community focus and a strong choreographic component, give Marco Martins's work an unparalleled voice in the Portuguese artistic landscape.
Ficha Técnica
- Concept, direction and dramaturgy
Marco Martins
Journalistic investigation
Joana Pereira Bastos, Raquel Moleiro
With
Amin Nurul, Dil Bahadur Ale, Janit Fernandes, Kamal Chowdhury, Kamal Sardar, Niraj Khadka, Rajib Al Mamun, Sabera Parvin, Sharker Nasrin, Shoehl Rana, Rita Cabaço, Rodrigo Tomás
Staging assistance and dramaturgy support
Rita Quelhas
Dramaturgical support
Matilde Campilho
Support for staging assistance
Alexandra Petrovskaya
Music
João Pimenta Gomes, Rabih Beaini
Lighting design
Nuno Meira
Set design
Isabel Cordovil, João Romão (Xxxi.Studio)
Sound design
Vitor Santos
Technical direction
Pedro Moreira
- Movement
Lua Carreira, Maria Fonseca
Movement workshop
Hugo Marmelada
Sound workshop
João Pimenta Gomes
Casting
José Pires
Photography
Beatriz Banha, André Príncipe
Editorial design
Atelier Pedro Falcão
Arena management
Marta Delgado Martins
Executive production
Hugo Alves Caroça
Management and production direction
Sérgio Azevedo
Co-production
Teatro Municipal do Porto, Centro Cultural de Belém, Theatro Circo/Braga Capital da Cultura 27
Support
República Portuguesa – Cultura, Juventude e Desporto I DGARTES – Direção-Geral das Artes, Goethe Institute Lisboa
