IRREVERENTE - LISBON INTERNATIONAL IMPROV FESTIVAL
SHOWS
WEDNESDAY - JULY 22
by Impromptwo and company
CONVERGENCE
Convergence, which will premiere at the Irreverente Festival, explores the idea that even when we begin as strangers, shaped by differing beliefs, experiences, and worldviews, we can still discover shared ground. Part theatre, part chorus, and infused with an absurdist tone, Convergence blends music, voice, and performance to create a distinctive, immersive work that examines connection in a fragmented world.
21:00
directed by André Sobral
THE SILVAS - S02E03
The Silvas, a Portuguese dysfunctional family, face a day full of chaos and secrets, in true 80s/90s sitcom fashion. Between the scheming mother, the controlling father, curious kids, and unpredictable guests, each scene unfolds with the audience. In the end, everyone sits at the table… and no one wants to leave.
22:15
THURSDAY - JULY 23
by Egg Squish It
NORDIC NOIR
Join “Egg Squish It” as they improvise a gripping Nordic Noir crime story set in your community: moody, mysterious, and full of unexpected laughs. Watch as your local landmarks become crime scenes, your neighbors turn into suspects, and chilling secrets get unraveled. One familiar location. One unexpected crime. One unforgettable evening of comedy and intrigue!"
21:00
directed by Simone Ellul
THE RITUAL
The Ritual is a monocene in which a group of people meet regularly for a specific purpose. They always return to the same gathering, the same rhythms, and the same tacit ways of being together. The reasons vary, but the gathering itself is familiar: a shared space, a shared history, and habits that have formed over time. Join us as we discover the bonds that unite them: friendships, patterns, and the small rituals that shape their world.
22:15
FRIDAY - JULY 24
by Vincent van Nieuwenhuyze
CHARACTER CONCERTO
After 12 hours of exploration, the participants of the Character Concerto take to the stage to share a gallery of vivid, realistic, and surprising characters. Using music as emotion and impetus, the artists bring the characters to life with honesty, humor, and boldness. The songs may arise not to impress, but because the character needs them. It's not about singing well. It's about being heard.
20:00
by Clap m´en cinq
ACTION!
Lights, Camera... ACTION! Two actors take on the insane challenge of playing every single role in a movie improvised right before your eyes. The twist? You decide the script by drawing three random genres that will hijack the story live! Expect stunts, romance, and plot twists in this spectacular homage to cinema where absolutely anything can happen.
21:00
directed by Mário Abel
THE SONG OF MY LIFE
"The Song of My Life" is an improvisational performance where a group of elderly people, after unexpectedly finding themselves confined to their nursing home, discover that time standing still can be a gateway to vivid time. Isolated from the outside world, each is immersed in the memories that a song—their song—has always held. What begins as a boring night transforms into an intimate and vibrantly alive celebration of life.
22:15
SATURDAY - JULY 25
by Dan Codreanu
GIVING LIFE TO OBJECTS
After exploring the intersection between improvisation and puppetry, the participants invite you into a world where objects come to life. This is not traditional theatre. Everyday objects transform into characters, carrying emotions, memories, and meanings. Stories emerge beyond realism, shaped by imagination and instinct. It's not about controlling the puppet, but rather letting it speak.
19:00
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by Simone Ellul
LOVE IS ALL AROUND
After an intense exploration of intimacy through improvisation, participants share honest, nuanced, and deeply human scenes. The focus is on connection expressed with authenticity and care. Guided by principles of safety, consent, and respect, the artists create moments that feel real, varied, and emotionally impactful. It's not about pushing boundaries, but about honoring them and building truth within them.
19:30
by Coffee & Cigarettes Collective
EAGERLY WAITING
"Eagerly Waiting" is an improvised theatre performance by Maro Lesioti and Gabriel Caropreso that explores intimacy, absence, and longing from a distance. The work unfolds in three distinct scenic spaces: two "real" spaces, positioned to the right and left of the stage, and a central "virtual space." This virtual space is not digital in nature, but poetic: an imagined terrain where memory, projection, and desire coexist.
20:30
directed by Lena Breuer
ATLANTIS
A paradise island of wealth, beauty, and abundance—where people believed themselves invincible. And then, in one terrible day and night, everything disappears. In Atlantis, we bring to life the final hours of this mythical world, exploring the arrogance, the decadence, and the forces behind its destruction. Almost as epic as Plato—only improvised.
21:45
