"Macbeth" defies curse as Lisbon's Teatro D. Maria II reopens
The D. Maria II theatre reopens with "Macbeth", the tragedy on stage when a 1964 fire destroyed it. Pedro Penim's staging revives the "cursed play", now with real flames on stage.
After being closed for nearly four years, Lisbon's Teatro D. Maria II has reopened with a grand production of Macbeth, the cursed play that first graced its stage in 1964 before a devastating fire reduced the theatre to ashes. The decision to stage this Shakespearean tragedy, believed to be a cursed play full of superstitions, serves as a provocative gesture in the face of other productions plagued by accidents.
Real fire is used on stage in a symbolic gesture, recalling the historic tragedy that befell the theatre. The play's history is riddled with backstage disasters, such as injured actors, swapped props for real weapons, and even deaths on stage. The director, Pedro Penim, chose to challenge fate and draw parallels with the theatre's own history, given that the National Theatre D. Maria II celebrates its 180th anniversary this year.
In this production, the stage now rotates and can be raised, while lighting, sound, and stage machinery have been upgraded. The cast includes José Raposo as Macbeth and Bárbara Branco as Lady Macbeth, both of whom have worked with Penim before. The production pays tribute to the theatre itself, featuring Joana Sousa's set that reproduces the emblematic building's façade on Rossio, with Queen Maria II herself portrayed as one of the characters. With ticket sales selling out quickly, anticipation for the reopening is already palpable.
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