João das Neves: diretor, cenógrafo, artífice: a construção do cenário de "Maria Lira"

Abstract

This paper reports the process of designing and building the sets of "Maria Lira", written and directed by João das Neves and Luciano Silveira, from Ícaros do Vale theatrical Company, Araçuaí/MG. The settings, designed by João das Neves, are inspired by the artisan Maria Lira Marques series “bichos do sertão”. Maria Lira is a resident of the city and the title character of the show dedicated to the popular culture of Vale do Jequitinhonha. The natural materials - earth and dyed sawdust - refer to the local geography, ceramic handicrafts and Corpus Christi rugs, traditional in the cities of Minas Gerais. The scenographic conception establishes the theatrical space and the scenic space. The floor proposes two dimensions, between the epic and the intimate, with the central arena, used in the choir scenes, exploding into smaller arenas to “spread” the narrative into simultaneous scenes. At the same time, four poles, which also refer to the Festa do Rosário, draw an imaginary cube, at the bottom of which a platform determines a central focus where Lira herself, made narrator, narrates everyday moments of her life, calling the scene to the configuration front. At each staging, the act of remaking the set allowed the company's actors to experience the role of the artificer (Lira, Zefa or Isabel, themes of the show), and the "material awareness" that leads us to reflect on the transformation of things in the world . The general concept, using amber light, was described by João das Neves as “theatre ON the street”: it mixes dramatic moments and epic narrative, and raises to poetry the current manifestations of the community that attends the night show, revealing to it the power of your daily life.