REVIEW: THE DECORATOR

01 Jul, 2013

By Adantes Vieira

The Decorator – a real journey in time! A completely revival of the Brazilian 60’s in London in 2013 by StoneCrabs Theatre Company!

Written by the English writer Donald Churchill , The Decorator is a hilarious farce which makes us remembering with some nostalgia a Girl from Ipanema, a “Brazilian Bomshell” with her famous fruit hat, Carmen Miranda. Extravagant and somehow curious characters, however with certain credibility, make the audience laugh in a mix of drama and comedy. Filled with much seduction, vengeance, betrayal, comedy and drama, the actors use enough physicality to convey emotions, feelings, sensations in a very minimalist scenario but with such details which carries us into the Brazilian 60’s!

With some musical moments evoking the Diva of the Fruit Hat, amongst others, revels some of the greatest Brazilian hits of that time with a few dashing and well choreographed performances. We highlight the Woman in Red, Mrs. Fufucas ( Tereza Araújo , winner of the Brazilian International Press Award for Drama 2012) in a quite sensual and erotic dance! Mr. Molhadinho, Márcio Mello , who doesn’t resist at all to Mrs Fufucas enchantments and lust and tries at all cost to seduce her with his acting and singing skills. As if not enough, Ms Piruegas, Maria Alencar, comes into the scene bringing more sensuality and truth to the stage. Dressing a very short skirt, her presence smartens not only the rhythm of the play but also the heart rhythm of the audience.

 The three actors came up with a good dynamics on stage without dropping the rhythm of the play and keeping the audience always alive to what’s going on the stage. With an interesting, colourful light design suiting the period, and directed by Franko Figueiredo , winner of the Brazilian International Press Award for Theatre and the Focus Brazil Award for promoting International and Brazilian Theatre in UK, by StoneCrabs Theatre Company, The Decorator brings up hilarious moments with some greatest Brazilian music hits of the time, delivering a very relaxed and funny hour for whom who wishes to revive the Brazilian 60’s in an unusual “scenario”…The Place!