Preto

“Never forget who and what you are and why!” is a pivotal sentence in “Preto” (Black). Based on the overarching question of the prospect of interpersonal dialogue and coexistence, Companhia Brasileira de Teatro examines the emergence of discriminatory behaviour in contemporary societies. The company combines the Brazilian point of view with a global perspective, philosophy with literature, music with anthropology and theatre with visual arts. The ideas formulated by Achille Mbembe in his pioneering work “Critique of Black Reason” on the history and consequences of slavery, serve as a point of departure for an examination of the impact and fallout of colonialism. The company operates within the context of current protests and demonstrations on the streets of Brazil and aims to provide vital political and global educational work. With great zest, the performance adopts and destroys stereotypes, using quotation and noncompliance to cast a doubly harsh light on the treacherous images embedded in our heads. The performance’s pivotal element is a critical self-interrogation by the protagonists on stage.