Q of What?, of theater half turn and then left when I say

Theater & Art | Theater

Magina Office

-Info

Producer

The Space of Time

Synopsis

Q of What? is a show in the form of a question, aimed at children and young people aged 8 and over, which aims to reflect on diversity, identity and gender expression. Biology and ecology set the tone for understanding the enormous complexity and diversity of the natural world. Throughout the research for this project, we came across an approach – almost unknown to us – of biologists and ecologists such as Brigitte Baptiste and Joan Roughgarden who introduce a queer look into their research, bringing to the center of their work all the diversity that exists in nature in relation to affects, sexuality, gender and gender expression. Throughout the history of science, much information that went against the standards of the straight/cisnormative culture (and that also tinged scientific research) was withheld. We all watch a lot of programs about wildlife and, certainly, we will have difficulty remembering any information about homosexuality or gender expression between animals or plants. Through the research carried out, we discovered the immense diversity that characterizes nature in relation to these issues and we felt that it would be an important gateway to the topics we want to address. We realize that the comparison between animals and humans is problematic, but, as Joan Roughgarden points out, “parallels can sometimes be drawn between the way people behave and the way animals behave, as if animals offered similar biological cultures ours”. We hope that this perspective on nature’s diversity can help us dilute crystallizations about gender and sexuality that we still carry today and that jeopardize the safe and happy growth and development of so many LGBTI children and young people.

Artist Sheet

Creation: Alfredo Martins and Luís Godinho

Text: Alfredo Martins

Performed by: Luis Godinho

Scenography: Carla Martinez Costume Design: Ainhoa Vidal

Light design: Manuel Abrantes

Music and sound design: Rui Lima and Sérgio Martins

Design: Luis Cepa

Research support: André Tecedeiro

Scientific Consulting: Ana Corrêa

Partnerships: ILGA, Ex Aequo Network, AMPLOS, Casa Qui, CES University of Coimbra

Co-production: half turn and then left theater when I say so, flytheater, Fábrica das Artes-CCB

Co-production residency: O Espaço do Tempo

Residency support: Malaposta Cultural Centre, Minutos Redondos, Odivelas City Council

Support: Government of Portugal Ministry of Culture/Directorate General for Arts, Lisbon City Council, Polo Cultural Gaivotas-Boavista, Casa do Capitão

Additional Information

Espaço do Tempo is funded by the Portuguese Republic – Cultura/DGArtes and by the Municipality of Montemor-o-Novo. It also has the support of BPI/Fundação “la Caixa”, Fundação Millennium, Fundação Eugénio de Almeida and Goethe Institut.