Um Inimigo do Povo
Marco Martins
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 carried out a controversial police operation on Rua do Benformoso in Lisbon. Around 60 immigrants, mainly from Bangladesh, were forced to stand against a wall with their hands on their heads for two hours. Images of the episode, captured by residents, went viral and sparked public debate about the legitimacy of the action and the exposure of people with no criminal record. This case became symbolic of the way immigration has been treated in Europe: the target of manipulative political discourse, both from the far right and the media. The play, proposed by Marco Martins — the result of an invitation from Braga 25 Portuguese Capital of Culture, with the co-production and collaboration of Centro Cultural de Belém, Teatro Municipal do Porto, and Théâtre de Liège — will be based on the testimonies and biographies of these people, who are now involved in the cast.
With journalistic research by Joana Pereira Bastos and Raquel Moleiro, and support from community leader Rana Uddin, the project proposes a critical reflection on the political use of the image of immigrants and the absence of their voice in the public sphere.
The show will be performed in Portuguese, English, Bengali, and other languages, with Portuguese subtitles.
Credits
Direction and dramaturgy Marco Martins
Text Marco Martins, based on testimonies from the entire cast, research by Joana Pereira Bastos and Raquel Moleiro, and works by Henrik Ibsen, Thomas Ostermeier, Florian Borchmeyer, Elias Canetti, Georges Didi-Huberman, Roger Caillois, Hannah Arendt, Cesare Pavese, Hein de Haas, Claire Touzard, Adília Lopes, Robert Peckham
Journalistic research Joana Pereira Bastos and 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, and Rodrigo Tomás
Assistant director and dramaturgy support Rita Quelhas
Textual and dramaturgical support Matilde Campilho
Direction assistance support Alexandra Petrovskaya
Music João Pimenta Gomes and Rabih Beaini
Lighting design Nuno Meira
Set design Isabel Cordovil and João Romão (xxxi.studio)
Set design Artworks
Sound design Vítor 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 and André Príncipe
Publication texts Matilde Campilho, Bárbara Reis, and Marco Martins
Publication design Atelier Pedro Falcão
Translation Joana Frazão
Arena administration Marta Delgado Martins
Production management and direction Sérgio Azevedo
Executive production Hugo Alves Caroça
This production is developed with the support of Prospero New platform, co-financed by the European Union’s Creative Europe program.
Main co-production CCB
Co-production Teatro Municipal do Porto, Theatro Circo / Braga 25 – Portuguese Capital of Culture, Théâtre de Liège – Théâtre d’Europe
Support Portuguese Republic – Culture, Youth and Sport | DGARTES – Directorate-General for the Arts, Goethe-Institut Portugal, Artworks
Promotional support Antena 1
Accessibility
The show will have Portuguese subtitles in both sessions.
The session on December 14 will have audio description.
Other events
An Enemy of the People
Marco Martins
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