FATAL transcends ULisboa’s walls, establishing an ongoing dialogue with the city of Lisbon

On 22 and 23 May, the Pavilion of Portugal will open doors to several initiatives of the Experiment the Future event, with the FATAL do Futuro conference among them. ‘We want to build the Festival Anual de Teatro Académico de Lisboa (FATAL) [Lisbon Academic Theatre Annual Festival] in collaboration with other institutions, arts organisations, associations and the academic community,’ says Maria João Fernandes, coordinator of ULisboa’s Planning and Development of Cultural Programmes and Exhibitions Unit. The conference serves as a space to bring together partners who reckon the main role of the festival and value sharing ideas that contribute to its growth and continuity.

A look inside

FATAL has been active since 1999 and has had 24 editions. However, its longevity is not synonymous with stagnation. Raquel Raimundo, also a member of the organisation team, highlights that ‘reinvention is part of the growth of every successful project’ and that the festival’s vitality must not allow it to become ‘sluggish.’ 

As the 25th edition approaches, the organisation felt the need to ‘take a break’ in order to assess. ‘We believe it is essential to foster moments for reflection and to understand how to improve the main programme, as well as the parallel one, tangible and intangible materials, and, consequently, the production and execution capacity,’ Raquel added. The exercise of self-reflecting is based on feedback of people who make the festival happen: theatre groups, judges, and the public.

Festival cohesion

One of FATAL’s biggest missions is the reaffirmation of its connection to the city of Lisbon, yet more efficiently. Margarida Nabais, who is also a part of the coordination team of the event, reveals that one of the structural changes on the table partakes the location. ‘Throughout the latest editions, FATAL has been spread over several cultural spaces in the city. We believe that if the festival takes place solely in one place, preferably in the city centre of Lisbon, our mission will be accomplished more efficiently.’ Not only would this centralisation benefit public circulation, but also promote a closer proximity and the sharing of experiences among theatre groups.

Build a future together

The conference will be the laboratory of this transformation. On the first day, debate will be open for all interested parties; it will discuss key topics, such as supporting systems for groups, communication strategies and the importance of archiving in the creation of memories. On the second day, focus will be redirected towards action: a design thinking session dedicated to technical questions, competition models and scheduling. 

But FATAL do Futuro is not only about strategy. The event will also have artistic moments that honour the past and present of university theatre, like Ricardo Correia’s performance regarding theatre before the April revolution and the premiere of the documentary ‘First and foremost, happy belated anniversary’ by the Grupo Experimental de Teatro da Universidade de Aveiro (GrETUA) [Experimental Theatre Group of the University of Aveiro].

For Maria João Fernandes, the ultimate goal is clear: to ensure that FATAL remains as a space for civic engagement and creative freedom. ‘FATAL must have a crucial role in the humanistic and artistic formation of members of the theatre group.’ She emphasises that the festival is, and will continue to be, a fundamental bridge between academic dynamism and the woven urban culture of Lisbon.

The invitation for the conference is extended to the entire city. FATAL do Futuro opens the doors of all its panels, shows and screenings to anyone who wishes to participate, listen, or simply discover the kind of theatre being made today. The future of the festival is built with everyone!

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