About us | Irreverente Festival

IRREVERENTE FESTIVAL

The Festival aims to unite the improvisation community residing in Portugal with other countries, promoting an event with activities in Theater, Dance, Music and other arts.

Our irreverence seeks to break preconceived concepts regarding the art of improvisation and the art that is composed in contemporary times, to question and reaffirm, and above all, to break with the idea that differences distance us. We say “yes, and”, the maxim of improvisation. “Yes” to ourselves and to other people, “and” from there, we create, together, something that finds its own new rules.

Our Mission: To deconstruct judgments and preconceptions in art, in ourselves and in the art we make, to find our authenticity to the rhythm of the waves of the Tagus.

RREVERENTE HISTORY

In 2018, during an inspiring conversation, the idea of creating an improvisation festival was born. But it wouldn't be just any festival. We wanted something bigger, something that transcended borders. And so an international festival was born, with the ambition of connecting Portugal to the world through the art that moves us: improvisational theatre.

Pandemic and all, we kept postponing, until finally in 2022 we found the date to organize the first edition, under the theme "IMPULSE", because this edition would be the spark, the first impulse for something big!

But improvisation goes beyond theater. It is dance, it is music, it is painting. It is the typical Portuguese way of getting by. It is action when the rain surprises on a summer day. It is saying “I love you” without rehearsing. Improvisation is life itself… or is life just one big improvisation?

And what name should we give to this fusion of arts where actors paint, painters dance, dancers play instruments and musicians bring characters to life?

Irreverence was needed. And that's why we are IRREVERENT .

Trailblazing Thinkers

An ocean separated them, but it was in Lisbon that they met again and brought the idea and concept of the festival to life.

Luana Proença (her/she)

Brazilian improviser and teacher, member of the groups Saída Sul (Brazil) and Lilimprov (Portugal). She is a translator for Status magazine into Portuguese and part of the European improvisation network The SIN. She is the author of "Our Direction in Play: Directing is Part of Improvising" and co-author of "Have you ever wondered if...? Questions for Teaching in Impro".

André Sobral (he/him)

Portuguese improviser, part of the ImprovFX group and creator of various shows, performing with different ensembles across Portugal. He leads workshops in Portugal, often in exchange programs with artists from other countries. He is a member of the Ohana European improv network.

Artistic Directors

From South America, through Lisbon to central Europe, this is the artistic direction, responsible for curating the festival.

LENA BREUER (her/she)

Actress, journalist, and improviser, passionate about improv for the past 14 years. She teaches and performs in Germany, across Europe, and around the world, having worked with major figures in the improv scene such as Keith Johnstone and Patti Stiles. Founder of Impro Köln and the IFO Impro Fest, Lena regularly teaches, directs, and performs. In addition, she works as a TV producer for major German broadcasters, creating documentaries on political and social topics.

FEÑA ORTALLI (he/him)

He began his acting career in 2001. In 2006, he founded Global Impro, an improv troupe dedicated to national and international collaboration and exchange. Now based in Madrid, he performs and teaches regularly. He takes part in various international festivals and tours the world with his shows and workshops. He is the founder and editor of Status Impro magazine (2011) and the author of the book Impro: Dynamics of the Unexpected (2018). He has worked in over 70 cities worldwide.

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André Sobral (he/him)

He has always had a strong sense of community, driven by the desire to find a space where the sharing of ideas, experiences, and adventures comes naturally. He promotes gatherings between improvisers and non-improvisers, believing that everyone has the ability to improvise—it's just a matter of discovering the right tools and challenging the rules imposed by society. For him, improvisation is more than an artistic act; it's an exercise in mutual acceptance, both of one's scene partner and of oneself.

Production team

[embuscada]

It is a self-produced theater company. In addition to creating shows, [embuscada] has developed projects for its production in the area of training, creating workshops in improvisational theater, vocal technique, interpretation, among other artistic events such as Irreverente - Lisbon International Improvisation Festival.

Main contact

My name is Bruno Águas

Bruno Águas (he/him)

+351 914061931

Need more information? Want to speak directly with the Festival's production team?
Bruno Águas is our main point of contact.