From November 13 to 21, 2026, the Sá de Miranda Municipal Theatre hosts the 10th Viana do Castelo Theatre Festival, organized by Teatro do Noroeste – Centro Dramático de Viana in partnership with the Viana do Castelo City Council. The festival brings together Portuguese and Spanish companies, connecting classical texts with new dramaturgies for audiences of all ages.

Featured Lineup:

1. "A Menina" (‘Miss’) – Teatro do Noroeste – Centro Dramático de Viana (Dir. Rita Lello): Opening the festival, this new adaptation of August Strindberg’s tragedy marks Teatro do Noroeste – Centro Dramático de Viana's 179th creation during its 35th anniversary year.
2. "O despertar das borboletas" (‘The awakening of butterflies’) – Teatro do Noroeste – Centro Dramático de Viana (Ricardo Ribeiro): A youth production exploring the delicate awakening of first love.
3. "Os Lusíadas" (‘The Lusiads’) – Companhia Nacional de Espetáculos (António Fonseca): A solo epic performance reinventing Camões' historical voyage.
4. "Veneno" (‘Poison’) – Teatro Nacional 21 (Dir. Albano Jerónimo): Written by Cláudia Lucas Chéu, this intense production examines domestic tragedy and social bankruptcy.
5. "Ensaio sobre a Lucidez" (‘An Essay on Lucidity’) – Companhia do Chapitô (Dir. José C. Garcia): A physical comedy adaptation of José Saramago’s satirical novel on democracy and power.
6. "Entrelinhas" (‘Between the Lines’) – HomemBala (Tiago Rodrigues & Tónan Quito): A meta-theatrical narrative navigating reality, prison letters, and Sophocles' Oedipus Rex.
7. "Dolce Far Niente" – Desattada / Centro Dramático Galego (Dir. Lucía Satta): The international highlight, a tragicomedy following a pizza’s journey from kitchen to customer.
8. "O Tamanho das Coisas" (‘The Size of Things’) – Terra Amarela (Marco Paiva / Text by Alex Cassal): An inclusive monologue performed by Paulo Azevedo exploring scales of human endurance and utility.
9. "Só eu é que não tenho!" (‘Only I don’t have it!’) – Teatro do Noroeste – Centro Dramático de Viana (Adriel Filipe): A humorous voyage into peer comparison and material desires for young audiences.
10. "Esta Noite Improvisa-se com Bergman" (‘Tonight We Improvise with Bergman’) – Casa Conveniente / Zona Não Vigiada (Dir. Mónica Calle): The festival’s grand closing production, developed through a community artistic residency inspired by Ingmar Bergman’s ‘Fanny and Alexander’.

Universal Accessibility & Mediation Resources

The Viana do Castelo Theatre Festival continues its landmark commitment as a pioneering performing arts festival in Portugal where every performance includes accessibility and audience mediation resources:

• Dual Subtitling: English and Portuguese subtitles for all sessions, serving non-Portuguese speakers and Deaf communities.
• Portuguese Sign Language: Simultaneous translation provided for every performance.
• Audio Description & Tactile Stage Recognition: Available for visually impaired spectators, including a pre-show stage touch tour 30 minutes prior to performances.
• Braille Program: Available in the theatre lobby.
• Post-Show Talks: Conducted immediately after each performance, connecting artists and audiences in open dialogue.

Parallel Activities: Workshops & Residencies

In addition to stage performances, the festival offers three major professional and community learning opportunities:

• Playwriting Workshop with Alex Cassal (Nov 11): A creative lab for artists and writers focused on building the ending of “O Tamanho das Coisas” (‘The Size of Things’), to be performed during the Festival.
• Acting Masterclass with Albano Jerónimo (Nov 15): An intensive training session dedicated to performing arts professionals.
• Artistic Residency with Mónica Calle & the Community (Nov 16–20): A 4-day intensive workshop inviting local citizens to work alongside the company and share the main stage in the closing show.

To learn more about the 10th Festival and Teatro do Noroeste - Centro Dramático de Viana activities:

Discover Website

Social Media: Instagram and Facebook: @teatrodonoroestecdv , @teatromunicipalsademiranda
Contacts: João Grisantes | Digital Creation: joaogrisantes@tmsm.pt (Alternate contact: geral@tmsm.pt)