Sweeping the Streets

Go through the streets thoroughly. Talk to everyone. Take advantage of every opportunity. We dedicated a lot of time distributing pamphlets and posters. We went to all the stores in Odemira and São Teotónio and left publicity materials. Later, several people told us that they got to know about the project through those posters and pamphlets. Often they acted in silent and unknown ways: Shoaib, for example, joined the group because he found a small flyer inside a closet in his room, which he was sharing with other people. When we were creating the groups and cast for the performance, we would speak with everyone we met on the street - sometimes with communication gaps between us - and invite them to come to rehearsals. One of the questions the audience asked most at the end of both performances was: "How did you manage to gather so many people, to form such a large group?" It was in the streets. ‘Sweeping the Streets’ is about leaving nothing undone: no place still to visit or person to talk to. It is utopian and systematic, repetitive. It's about seizing opportunities even if they seem unlikely. Various miracles will happen. ‘Sweeping the Streets’ is about a long road requiring energy and persistence and with no shortcuts. There would be no other way to make this project flourish and really create a community without experiencing all the points, places, and people we could. Along the way emerge countless other points of focus and interest, curiosities, and themes to develop and deepen. It is a task that happens in layers. For every 100 people we talk to, maybe 5 will join the group - but that is enough. During this work, countless doors open to other worlds and cultures, to observe human and social dynamics, to get to know a place and its inhabitants.