A midsummer theatre night - a European event at Teatro O Bando in Palmela Portugal

[Dana Gierke]

The highlight of the Annual Encounter 2010 in Palmela Portugal was our midsummer theatre´s night under the olive trees of Teatro O Bando on 26th June. On 13 magical field stages approximately 500 guests, among them Aikaterini Xethali from the European Comission, could see our partner theatres performing the national plays that have been produced in the last 9 months for Platform11+. It was a magical night lighted by the full moon. In the finale our companies sang songs about him and a kids choir interacted with all the assembled actors on a natural stage.

But that was not the end of it! After midnight all the platformers kept on celebrating this wonderful place and time. They have spent the whole night on the hill of Teatro O Bando playing guitar, singing or trying out national delicacies. At 06:14 the sun set. On the top of the hill we welcomed the new day with a big breakfast and enjoyed the marvelous setting underneath our feets.