Cardume

Cardume is a group of 10 people on and off stage. Finding the flow, balance and focus with such a big group on stage can be challenging, but it can also be magical! A large group of people brings many theatrical possibilities, allowing for spectacular group scenes and much needed support throughout an entire show. But stories and scenework can only truly advance and develop with a small group of characters and relationships. So how can we balance a big number of improvisers with a small number of main characters and plot points? How do we prevent chaos with so many ideas floating on stage? How can we listen and communicate effectively? In this workshop we will approach these issues and work towards finding the fine balance between leading and following; speaking and being silent; going on stage and letting others go; making big and bold choices or just supporting others. On the other hand, what are the best ways to make a large group matter on stage? We will go through some group dynamics, how to develop a group mind and other tools. Also, off stage, how can we maintain and nourish healthy relationships within the group so we are able to improvise in a fun and productive way? How to bond and manage roles within a diverse group? By listening, bonding and supporting each other, the power of many can outdo the strength of a few, and that has always been the core philosophy and motto of our improv group.

“Saudade” is often regarded as the most untranslatable of all Portuguese words. The main reason you can’t convey it in another language is its inherently paradoxical nature, which a poet once described as a “wellness you suffer of and an evil you enjoy.” The root of the word is Latin for solitude, yet it has, throughout history, united the Portuguese as a people living a common experience. It is something abstract that you feel, but also something somewhat more concrete that you have. It’s usually defined as a longing for the past, but you also feel it for things that are yet to be. You can feel it for objects, moments, places, people, and not only those you’ve experienced: it allows you to remember just as fondly the smell of your childhood home and a fishing trip your grandfather likes to talk about, a certain June morning, 1951. It’s as if every point in time was just a location you could find on a map, but it is always so distant that is utterly unattainable.

Which brings us to “Saudade”, the show. We can’t translate “saudade” with words, but we’ll try with improv. We begin by taking inspiration in memories from the audience, which will trigger monologues where we’ll explore a memory of our own, on the topic of a related subject we have “saudades” about. From there we start a journey of diverse short and medium length scenes, some funny, some bittersweet, turning our initial inspiration into a machine to create stories, moments and new memories.