Art is not a priority. Theatre is not for everyone, tickets are unaffordable. In poor areas there are no (or very few) theatres or movies. The city is divided – different cultures and values are reinforced politically and socially. There are exceptions, few exceptions of course.

We are here thinking about a kind of Art that is not affordable for everyone in Brasil. Theatre is an expensive art, ironically. The theatre that is not on stage, I mean, the spirit of acting is free, accessible. For instance, the representation in festivals, such as Carnaval, with the Samba Schools on parade – performance at its best. The irony is that people cannot afford to go to theatre but they have tremendous theatricals – the art of acting is present in folklore as the most popular manifestation of Art in Brasil.    

The financial crisis of production is a fertile field for new things, uncommitted and full of good risks.

The first financial support for culture was for Fernando José de Almeida, a hairdresser of the Vice King in Rio de Janeiro, who arrived from Portugal in 1801, and turned into an impresario. Almeida was the first to get the empire's financial support for a cultural project: to build the Royal São João Theatre.  From then on, as Silvia Cristina Martins de Souza writes in her book, As noites do Ginásio:

For such privilege, one had to have a close relationship with the government representatives. From 1824 to the end of the Empire (1889), such practice became a sort of rule that associated the concession of subsidies to a politics of good relations between the representatives and senators, responsible for its approval. The favored ones were always those that had close relations to the influential politicians, who were responsible for the promotion of the project in the government.

According to Silvia:

(...) that was an ideal situation for the government in charge of this "aid". Contracts were signed, and the impresarios were required to fulfill them. The use of the money received for the repertoire and even for the actors that would be cast. So that support meant to the government a form of more effective control about what should be available to the audience.

That was at the beginning of the 19th century and when we read that statement, based on history and research, we notice that nothing has changed. What Silvia says about the production in Rio de Janeiro in the 19th century is still true today 

The smallest budget is the one for culture, not only theatre, but culture as a whole. Of course there is not enough for everyone.

The political role in Brasilian culture has been changing through the centuries. The decision of what is worthy to be done in culture is made by the managers of big companies – they have a discounted taxes and the money is directed to culture projects chosen by marketing staffs of those companies, according to what they find appropriate for their promotional goals. They are the great power in Brasilian culture today.

Artists complain vehemently. What is there that results from this moment of financial crisis and such non-commitment from the government? A theatre free in its expression. What we have are people gathering their own money for their artistic production and living with it. It's a high-risk – usually one never sees one's money back. This means that what do not come from commercial sponsorship is what probably would define artistically the state of theatre today in the 21st century. 

So, take a look at the small theatres. They are beholden to no one but themselves. They are free; they don't have to create according to anyone's demands. Examples: the play Virginias, by Anneli Olijum and Andrea Ribeiro, Marco Aureh singing Sylvia Orthoff, the musical poems by Musica Surda, Andre Brilhante plays for children, and Ovo Frito, the play and the event, just to mention a few. 

So what is the state of theatre and life today? Both tragic, without giving answers.  Both offer doubts and are able to reveal and teach us questions. A work of art that answers me is not interesting. Theatre is an art of contradictions and, as I heard from a four-year old girl, it is a place where happy people live. 

Drama constantly seeks the fall of the walls, not only of the Brechtian fourth wall: interactive theatre, comedy theatre, inclusion theatre, inverted theatre. Everything is valuable in showing that life is a stage and we are merely players, as Shakespeare said. Theatre seeks its word and verse and an audience with astonished eyes ready to live a unique and renewed experience.

Theatre that says to the world: Brasil lives not only with bananas.

"Mas hoje, porque o mundo é uma arena,
a arte é o que tinha de ser:
esta arma".
Pedro Lyra, Ideologema

And now, that world is an arena,
art is what it has to be:
this weapon.
(translation by Andréa Carvalho)

 Photo - Andre Brilhante's play "Um voo para Santos Dumont"

Andréa Carvalho is a writer and producer

©2005 Andréa Carvalho
©2005 Publication Scene4 Magazine

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