A possible biography, non-consensual and constantly being rewritten
Teatro Praga is an artistic collective founded in 1995, based at Rua das Gaivotas in Lisbon, which defines itself as a group - or federation - of artists that tends to answer the question of who it is by reformulating the question. The members who make up the collective take on different roles in the creation of performances, valuing experimentation, constant transformation, and the unrepeatability of the theatrical act. Their artistic practice challenges traditional theatrical structures, refusing fixed answers and encouraging the spectator’s utmost responsibility.
Teatro Praga regularly collaborates with some of the most prestigious cultural institutions in Portugal and has presented its work at festivals and theatres in various European countries (Italy, the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, France, Belgium, Hungary, Slovenia, Estonia, Denmark, and Poland), as well as in Israel, China, Brazil, and Cape Verde.
Its artistic creation intersects theatre, dance, music, visual arts, and video, exploring cultural critique, humour, and a permanent reinvention of the very idea of representation, in a trajectory marked by creative freedom and a refusal of artistic conformism.
Teatro Praga’s activity extends beyond theatrical creation. It manages Rua das Gaivotas 6, which opens itself to a neighbourhood and to a city, aspiring to be a place for presentations, circulation, residencies, and readings. At Rua das Gaivotas 6, performances in the performing arts, visual arts, conferences, literature, cinema, and workshops are hosted.
In addition to artistic programming and curatorship, Teatro Praga also maintains its own publishing imprint, the ed._____ collection, created in collaboration with the publisher Sistema Solar and coordinated by André e. Teodósio and José Maria Vieira Mendes.
The members of Teatro Praga actively participate in the contemporary artistic scene through a pedagogical and training strand, engaging in workshops, teaching, talks, debates, and interdisciplinary initiatives that bring together critical thinking, creation, and experimentation.
