Individual Theatre Group premieres new Catalan text on bullying

The meeting of two men in a hotel room to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their high school class is the starting point for “Here Comes Your Man” (Aquí Viene tu Hombre). The text by Catalan Jordi Cadellans, never before seen in Brazil, premieres on August 2, Friday, at 8 pm, at Teatro Arthur Azevedo, staged by Núcleo Teatro do Indivíduo. With Rodolfo Lima, who also signs the adaptation and direction, and Renato Izepp, the play focuses on the theme of bullying and its consequences.

Morales (Rodolfo Lima) and Torres (Renato Izepp) meet again years after finishing their studies, for a celebratory reunion of former students. Gathered in the same hotel room, what we see are two men reviewing their past, their attitudes and the results of their actions. Morales, previously a victim of homophobia in the school hallways, becomes a famous actor and returns to the party to confront his former oppressors. Torres’ relationship with what happened is revealed throughout the production.

Morales doesn’t have very good memories of his school years. Torres, on the other hand, says they were the best of his life. As they prepare for the party, they will remember the past, how Torres got good grades and dreamed of becoming a great soccer player. Morales, on the other hand, was always the victim of ridicule for being sensitive and effeminate, and had survival as his only goal.

Revenge, neglect, trauma, omission, oppression, sexual tension, violence and pain permeate the dialogue between these two men. By highlighting the actions that characterize bullying, “Here Comes Your Man” reveals an extremely important subject: the appreciation of individuality and the rights of every citizen.

Theater in Madrid
Actor and director Rodolfo Lima saw the show in early 2020 while traveling through Portugal and Spain. He says that while walking through the streets of Madrid, he saw a poster for the show and went to see it since the theater was close to where he was staying. “Even though I didn’t understand the entire text, since there were parts in Catalan, the show kept reverberating in my head. I immediately thought about putting it on in Brazil.”

During the pandemic, Rodolfo contacted the author saying he had seen the show in Madrid and would like to read the text more calmly. Jordi Cadellans responded immediately and sent the text in full. “I read it and reread it and liked it even more. I then asked the author how I could stage the text in Brazil and since then we have been organizing ourselves for the premiere in São Paulo”, explains the actor and director.

When he decided to stage the play in Brazil, Rodolfo Lima never imagined that so many painful memories would come to the surface. “I suffered bullying and homophobia at school, but I didn’t really understand what I was going through. Bringing the play to the stage made me relive sensitive issues, rescuing the teenager I was and the many conflicts I experienced,” he believes.

“Here Comes Your Man”:August 2nd to 25th, Friday and Saturday, at 8pm and Sunday, at 6pm (August 11th, Sunday, there will be no performance)
Arthur Azevedo Theater (Multipurpose Room – 60 seats) – Paes de Barros Avenue, 955 – Alto da Mooca, São Paulo.
90 minutes | 18 years old | R$15 to R$30 (tickets available one hour before the start of the session at the theater box office or reservations via PIX 11 97497-4207).
By Ezatamentchy