2023, our biggest year yet, began with Jean-Paul Sartre’s classic “No Exit”, directed by Ed Hooks. We followed that up with workshops by Suresh and by David Chan. Then, from April 11-16, we ran the very first edition of JáFest, the biggest event of our young existence. On the menu: 6 plays, an exhibition about four courageous women journalists, a poetry film competition and some fascinating walking tours for our foreign visitors.

In June, we were involved in the True Reflections festival. In October Tania gave a Coffee Talk for the “Theatre in Palm” program and the U.Lisboa/Ultimacto workshop on playback theatre began. In November Suresh rolled out a workshop of his own. In December, to coincide with our Open Call for the Film Poetry section of next year’s JáFest, we released an interview with prize-winning poetry filmmaker Janet Lees.

In April, we ran a successful online workshop. In May we took part in the annual FEATS competition with an original work by our own Suresh Nampuri. His Shakespearean medley “Shaken & Stirred” featured at the Setúbal Theatre Festival in August.

Impossible alas for us to do live theatre in the Year of Covid. We responded by moving online. In April, we filmed short plays by Harold Pinter and our very own Suresh Nampuri, then in August Chekhov’s SwanSong with Mick Greer in full cry.

In 2019, venues were as scarce as hen’s teeth. Despite this, in July, we performed a triple bill called Jagged: a short play by Harold Pinter and two short and shocking pieces by Neil LaBute. In September we did a test-read of a new play set in the Algarve called In a Foreign Country and then took part in the 5th edition of the Lisbon REVERSO festival. In November we put on Insomnia, a poetic tale of three Russian writers.

In 2018, we focused on Staged Readings and workshops. Workshops are an opportunity for experienced and aspiring actors to exercise and hone their craft… as well as an opportunity for Já to meet new talent.

JÁ Staged Readings give actors and audience the opportunity to plunge into exciting scripts stripped to their central core – very few props, little costume, minimal set, just words and gestures. A chance too for directors to workshop a pet project, and for writers to see their plays free of the stress of an impending full production…

In November 2017, a few months after registering “Já International Theatre – Associação Cultural e Recreativa”, we staged our first show – a double bill – at Teatro do Bairro in Chiado!

Directed by: Tania Kumeda
Date: November 22-26, 2017
Venue: Teatro do Bairro, Lisboa

Directed by: Tania Kumeda
Date: November 22-26, 2017
Venue: Teatro do Bairro, Lisboa