The reception of Peter Weiss’ s drama Gesang vom Lusitanischen Popanz. Before and after the Revolution of 1974

Abstract

This article outlines a brief history of the heavily politicized Portuguese reception of Peter Weiss’s drama Gesang vom Lusitanischen Popanz , highlighting: the hostile reaction of the Portuguese press during the Salazar regime against the world premiere of the play at Stockholm in 1967; the total ban, exerted by the Censorship, of any staging and public representation of the drama in Portugal; the staging and performances presented, with great cost, by the Portuguese Theatre of Paris directed by Benjamin Marques, in France (Paris and surroundings), in 1969, and, in the immediate post-25 April in France, in Lisbon and in a big and good financed tour across the Portuguese country; representations, from September 1974 onwards, by the Scenic Caldense Group, in several villages of the country and only two performances in Lisbon in December, which were not exempt from some difficulties.