IRREVERENTE - LISBON INTERNATIONAL IMPROVISATION FESTIVAL
WE ARE
IRREVERENTE!
The idea of creating an improv festival was born in 2018 during an inspiring conversation between the project's creators, LUANA PROENÇA (BR) and ANDRÉ SOBRAL (PT). From the beginning, the ambition was clear: it wouldn't be an ordinary festival, but "something bigger, something that transcends borders," with the goal of connecting Portugal to the world through the art of improvisation. The name IRREVERENTE (Irreverent) was intentionally chosen to reflect the desire to break down preconceptions about what artistic improvisation is and what is considered "serious art."
First push: 1st edition in 2022
The project took several years to complete — between planning, exchanging ideas, and delays (including due to the pandemic).
The first edition of the festival took place in 2022, under the theme " IMPULSE "—symbolizing the spark, the beginning, the initial energy of this great project. This "impulse" represented more than just an event: it meant laying the foundations for a diverse and open, multi-professional artistic community —theatre, dance, music, performance, free improvisation.
IRREVERENTE 2022
We consolidated the festival in the 2023 edition.
In 2023, the second edition of Irreverente took place from July 26th to 29th, with the theme " SPACES "—exploring different notions of space: physical, imaginary, interior, exterior, collective, and individual. This edition featured a program that combined performances, improvisations, music, theater, dance, and debates— maintaining the ambition to mix artistic languages and question conventions.
We grew a little more in the 2024 edition.
In 2024, the third edition took place between July 24th and 27th at the Santo Amaro Academy in Alcântara, under the theme " IMPRO, AND... ". This edition stood out for featuring improvisers from various nationalities—reinforcing the festival's international character. Also in 2024, the "Test-Drive Day" format was introduced—a day dedicated to workshops, open to beginners, in order to foster training and the growth of the improvisation community.
And in the 2025 edition, we broke even more barriers!
The 2025 edition marked a new chapter in Irreverente's trajectory. For four days, Lisbon became the stage for a vibrant celebration where artists, audience, and community came together around improvisation—not just as a technique, but as a way of being in the world. “ IMAGINARY WORLDS ” proved to be more than a theme: it was an invitation and an opening, a door to universes created collectively, in the here and now, with courage, humor, and sensitivity. This was a year in which the festival reaffirmed its essence: the ability to embrace differences, unite people of diverse origins, and celebrate what connects us—the willingness to listen, accept, and build together . May the “Imaginary Worlds” of 2025 continue to inspire those who were there—and serve as an impetus for everything that is yet to come.