The performances organised by the theatre companies of Palma, Quionga and Pundanhar have ended. 6 performances, 7 if you count Pemba, for a total of about a hundred actors. Some groups even had 18-20 people.

Now we have to choose who to invest in for the Italian team. It’s a matter of deciding who, among the young people from Mozambique, will actively take part in this project and will be involved firstly in writing the performance and then in the following tour.

I would take them ALL to Italy!

For many of them, youngsters from villages, this could be the only chance they have of being “trained”.

Who are we to decide?

Unfortunately we have to choose, we have to select 7 people, 6 in reality because Felix will certainly be one of ours, given that his level of preparation and professionalism is slightly higher than the other village actors.
For a few days we have been speaking about placing an actress from the Luarte group, Maputo, alongside Felix, someone who can support and help the village actresses.

We have to consider lots of things when selecting: in addition to acting, the language is also something to think about: it is essential to know Portuguese and Swahili; the level of instruction because there will be a script to read and learn by heart; the possibility of facing the long journey to Italy and the hard work that is waiting for them.

We have to discard all the children and minors. Too many bureaucratic complications, and we would also have to request authorisation from the families, one by one.
We begin with the company of public officers. Agostinho is the most talented of the group, he teaches, has the identity documents, and also a comical vein that is just waiting to be discovered. Selected.
Ana Bela has one of the most beautiful smiles in the world, she enchants, falsetto voice, moves very well. Selected
Adelino Geraldo and Safina, young, he writes, she sings, dreams of being a singer. She was a little flat during the performance but at the next meeting, during the exercises, she “lit up” and conquered us. She is the only one who spoke about a dream during the short interview…
Adelino Gonçalves is a character. A born comic and also authority on the zone, head of culture and events for the District of Palma. He jerks when he moves, sometimes clearly exaggerated, but he has a voice…boy what a voice…the audience listens to him when he acts. He’s also powerful, he dominates the scene!

Agostinho, Anabela, Adelino junior, Safina, Adelino senior, Felix e Arlete from Luarte (in the end we decided to put her in the group, too). They are the magnificent seven!

Are you ready to come to Italy?