The nervousness before the beginning was a mirror of the importance of the moment that was about to begin. “Lots of shit!” you heard. Outside the prison, Muxagata, Ricardo, Pelé and Manel would have a few minutes of freedom, spent making art. For months, Teatro das Figuras came to them. Now, they went to the Theater to present “Entre Muros”, a play that shows how, after all, we are all the same.
From March to June, these four inmates (José Carlos Muxagata, Ricardo Branco, Manuel Alves and Pelé) they took part in drama training, given inside the prison walls.
Under the command of Gil Silva, director of Teatro das Figuras, and Teresa Silva, leader of the Ar Quente association, they learned about theater, doing small exercises. It all culminated with the presentation, this Saturday, June 15, in the small auditorium of Teatro das Figuras.
Over the 35 minutes of the play, the atmosphere lived in the room was extremely moving. Right at the beginning, Muxagata's voice was heard, with a disturbing message: “the time here [in prison] is very long. A day inside is like 10 out there».
The audience listened and thought, but the artists did not stop following the script. In turn, each one walked around the room, eye to eye with the audience.
Then, they said the names and ages of their colleagues, as if each one wanted to make known their partner, until they did some body exercises in extreme harmony.
In a circle, they supported each other and hugged each other. They gave the idea of being one. After all, people so like anyone else who isn't arrested.
There was music, Manel danced and the audience was clinging to the piece until the lights went down completely and it was all over.
But for the end, one of the most emotional moments of the entire afternoon was saved: a long round of applause for the four inmates.
Manel couldn't hide it and tears streamed down his face as he saw so many people standing there and applauding. Ricardo kept his gaze fixed, but he was also crying. Muxagata, ditto. Pelé raised the blower to the air, celebrating the moment.
And, in the audience… also rare were those who managed to hold back the tears.
Remade faces, the four of them agreed on how special this whole project was. “It was a way of getting around the system. We showed people that there are also good people inside the prison and that they deserve an opportunity», said Manuel Alves.
Ricardo, in turn, did not hide his astonishment before “an audience that was fearful” for having so many people. Muxagata, that one, had the «heart still at 200».
«It was good, we felt free. We were able to express ourselves, communicate, shout, dance. There's nothing inside. It was a way of valuing freedom and getting out of the day-to-day prison," he added, still moved.
Now that everything will come to an end, what will the future look like?
Gil Silva and Alexandre Gonçalves, director of the Prison Establishment of Faro, revealed that, given the success of this “Entre Muros”, other similar projects could happen.
The seed of art, in the prison world, this one, is already sown.
Photos: Rodrigo Damascene | Sul Informação
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