Among the evolution of the mouse to man, on a planet far from the solar system, appears "Hamster Clown". A being locked in his own labyrinth, who doesn't talk, but says a lot about dreams and nightmares, and who will fight giant octopuses, swarms of bees, scary owls and demonic vacuum cleaners, in order, perhaps, to enjoy his freedom. The show will be on stage this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the 16th, 17th and 18th of July, at the Cine-Teatro Louletano, in Loulé.
After working on the Cirque du Soleil, the clown Rui Paixão joins, for the first time, the director Ricardo Neves-Neves, to bring on stage the play “Hamster Clown”, an original show in which there is not a single line and in which the fantastic supersedes the realist .
This piece tells the story of a figure, originating from the evolution between the hamster and the human being and between man and woman. In other words, «something kind of alien», in purple tones, with three pairs of nipples and a tail, in which «spectators will identify various characteristics and deviations, inspired by issues related to the drag queens», explained the director Ricardo Neves-Neves, in a session open to the press in which the Sul Informação participated.
Hamster Clown is a dynamic solo that brings to stage several alternative universes, with a set design thought to detail, in a play of lights, sounds and visual effects, with representation taken to the extreme, in which the spectator must be focused on everything he sees and listen so as not to lose any part of the puzzle.
The invitation for this piece came from Ricardo Neves-Neves to Rui Paixão, without knowing each other personally. Soon they started to come up with content for this show that, from the beginning, had a purpose defined by the director: «to make theater without text».
Ideas began to emerge with "a figure lost in the forest who had to hunt a rabbit or deer and who ate it", advancing to a kind of mouse or hamster, "something kind of alien, which we identified as not from our planet », says Ricardo Neves-Neves.
The narrative was built over the course of several essays, including a «set of ideas that we all collect here and there» and that, now, «are part of the show».
In a theater without text, like this one, "there were only images" that allowed them to follow "radically different ideas". Neither of them had a definite concept of what they liked to do in this show, “what I wanted to talk about”, which made this whole project even more “magical”, says Rui Paixão.
With only a few small experiences in the world of theatrical representation, Rui Paixão then accepted the challenge of building and representing this “Hamster Clown”, revealing that this turns out to be his «real debut as an actor».
The clown explains that a character with this dimension «takes a long time to be prepared, also because there is an adulteration of what I know as my body», which implies some difficulties in the construction of this “hamster”.
Rui Paixão confessed that he had to start "listening to Lady Gaga's music" to learn, for the first time, how to wear high heels. Also the use of a prosthesis, which makes it difficult for the actor to breathe, the use of gloves, a wig, and the great work of make-up what has to be done are other constant challenges that Rui Paixão faces in each show.
“Each day is a day focused only on the theatre,” he exclaims.
The play can only start at 21 pm, but Rui Paixão will arrive at the Cine-Teatro much earlier: at 00 pm. Then follows a four-hour preparation process, in which «two are just to do the make-up of the character', which makes everything 'a very big process'.
Even so, he believes that, «at a time when people are rarely surprised, because they have access to everything», this show will attract a lot of curiosity, especially with its transfiguration.
“I like this idea of being something out of the ordinary, strange, not being afraid of the theatrical, of going to the theater to see something that is exceptional, out of the everyday, which I don't see if I don't go to a concert hall. That's why I pay a ticket: to see something you wouldn't see on the street», stresses Rui Paixão.
Rui Paixão admits that, in this piece, «what people will see is not a text that is not being said or that is being pampered», but rather «a series of images» that each viewer will «enlarge to various meanings'.
“Everything you see [on stage] is huge because, without the word, everything we want to say has to be put on stage. We can't talk about it and expect people to imagine it. We have to show it!».
Therefore, all the aesthetics, scenography, video and sound were thought out in detail, as «every detail has reading, all body movements, head tilt, the place where you look, everything», says the actor.
The play will be on stage at the Cine-Teatro Louletano this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 16th, 17th and 18th of July, and you can buy tickets through the online ticket office of space.
The session on Saturday (17) will feature audio description, so that even the blind can watch the show.
This instrument will be used for the first time in the Algarve, in a partnership with the Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired of Portugal (ACAPO), so that «no one is left out», even more «in a very visual show like the “Hamster Clown”». explains Ricardo Neves-Neves.
The play is interpreted by Rui Paixão, staged by Ricardo Neves-Neves, scenography by José Manuel Castanheira and costumes by Rafaela Mapril.
After having debuted in Lisbon, and this passage through Loulé, the “Hamster Clown” will continue to Ovar (30th of July), Odivelas (15th, 16th and 17th of October), Braga (September/October) and Ílhavo (October).
This is a co-production between Cine-Teatro Louletano, Theatro Circo de Braga, Ovar Art Center, Malaposta Cultural Center, 23 Miles, Culturproject, Teatro do Elétrico and São Luiz Teatro Municipal.
Photos: Rúben Bento | Sul Informação
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