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The puppet theater known as Mané Beiçudo reveals a vibrant
and transformative dimension of art. More than mere entertainment, it becomes a
living instrument of education, social reflection, and community development.
Conceived by Antônio Carlos dos Santos—who also created the innovative
methodologies MAT (Mindset, Action,
and Theater) and ThM (Theater
Movement)—this form of popular theater offers an engaging structure that
inspires both emotional and intellectual participation. Let's explore its 13
main categories, each one a gateway to a world where culture, identity, and
collective learning converge.
The first category, space-object, teaches us that
theater is not confined to a stage or a building. In the universe of Mané
Beiçudo, the theatrical space is symbolic and mobile—it may be a courtyard, a
square, or a field. Like ancient Greek theater that emerged in public squares,
this model redefines the idea of scenic space, showing that the stage is
wherever people gather to listen and reflect. It invites us to expand our
perception of where art can flourish, reinforcing that transformation can begin
anywhere.
The second category is
the idea of permanent spectacle.
In communities that adopt Mané Beiçudo, theater ceases to be an event and
becomes a daily presence. Like the vibrant rhythm of African griots or the
constant movement of medieval troubadours, the artistic act is integrated into
the routines of the people, transforming how they perceive their reality. It’s
no longer a detour from daily life but part of its structure. In this way,
everyone breathes theater—it becomes part of the air that keeps hope and
creativity alive.
The third element, master spectacle, pays homage to
the ancestral origins of theater. Just as Dionysian processions gave rise to
the classic Greek drama, the Mané Beiçudo master spectacle takes shape as a
great carnival procession. It is collective, festive, and cathartic. People
dance, sing, and walk together, rediscovering themselves and reconfiguring the
collective identity. Theatricality here is sacred and playful, awakening
ancient memories and stimulating the body and spirit of each participant.
Alongside the master
spectacle, satellite spectacles
emerge—small itinerant presentations that follow the great carnival. These
performances, often with glove and rod puppets, address specific issues and visit
various corners of the community. It’s as if the main celebration spawns its
own cultural “children,” multiplying its impact. This evokes the logic of
fractals: the grand idea reproduces itself in smaller units that maintain its
essence. Each satellite is a seed of transformation, capable of germinating
wherever it lands.
The factory, the fifth category,
refers to the process of artistic creation in three temporal stages: before,
during, and after the spectacle. Inspired by educational methodologies such as Maria
Montessori's praxis, this triad systematizes how problems are identified, how
they are translated into theatrical language, and how their impact is
evaluated. Thus, the artistic act is not isolated—it is a pedagogical and
social process that generates reflection and action.
In the sixth category,
construction technology, we
see the beauty of simplicity. The puppets are built with materials readily
available in the community: wood, cloth, recycled objects. This echoes the
artistic movement of Arte Povera, which values creation over luxury. The
community learns that beauty and meaning are not in the material's cost but in
its symbolic potential. Building puppets becomes a ritual of reinvention of the
self and the world.
Exclusive dramaturgy is perhaps the heart of TBMB. Here, the theatrical text is born from
local problems, experiences, values and struggles of the community. The
writing is collective, democratic and situated. It is theater as a mirror, but
also as a beacon. The play does not only portray reality — it proposes paths.
It is theater that heals, educates and transforms. Antônio Carlos argues that
reading and writing shape the spirit that drives man to transform the world. At
TBMB, dramaturgy is born from this living and collective reading-writing, where
everyone has a voice. It is also an antidote to the cultural pasteurization
that so impoverishes popular art.
In the eighth category,
we find a powerful concept: intervention
in the scenic space and the real space. Spectators are not passive—they
enter the scene, become characters, propose solutions. This resonates with the
theory of performativity, where action generates meaning. Theater becomes
training for reality, and drama becomes a simulation laboratory of possible
futures. By playing, the community rehearses transformation and strengthens its
civic muscle.
The critical-playful reflection
emerges as a luminous ninth category. Here, thinking about problems does not
mean cold analysis but playful reflection, inspired by emotion, poetry, and
laughter. Neuroscientific studies show that learning accompanied by joy has
greater emotional retention and long-term cognitive benefits (Immordino-Yang,
2016). Therefore, Mané Beiçudo chooses to think while playing, deconstructing
the academic stiffness and awakening new ways of knowing.
The tenth category
introduces us to the organizational
arrangement – Management Core. This group, composed of local artistic
leaders, plans and evaluates the entire process. It is a horizontal and
community-based model of governance. Like the Ubuntu philosophy, it reinforces
that leadership is not authority but service. The Management Core ensures the
coherence of actions and amplifies the community’s voice, always placing
creativity and ethics at the center.
The Permanent Forum, the eleventh
category, is a democratic space of dialogue. It is where artists,
entrepreneurs, teachers, and community leaders come together to think about
development through the lens of culture. It’s a cultural parliament, where
agendas are created and commitments are made. Similar to the practices of
deliberative democracy, the Forum values participation and collective
listening. It is in this forum that true social movements are born.
In the twelfth
category, we have workshops—spaces
of training and multiplication. The entire methodology of Mané Beiçudo is
taught to community members, so that they can reproduce and innovate
autonomously. These workshops are the heart of sustainability. They train
puppeteers, writers, and storytellers who will carry the project forward with
their own voices.
Finally, documentary reference is the
thirteenth category. The entire process is recorded: from diagnostics to
reports, from interviews to dramaturgy, from exhibitions to community feedback.
This collection generates memory and allows continuity. Like ethnographic
research, these records are more than reports—they are testimonies of change.
They become evidence that transformation is possible and, above all, desirable.
In this journey
through the 13 categories of the Mané
Beiçudo Popular Puppet Theater, we see not only an artistic method but a
vision of the world. It is a theater that educates, that plays and transforms.
A theater where the puppet is not an object but a mirror, a guide, and a
revolutionary symbol. In the words of Antônio Carlos dos Santos, this is
theater with soul, body, and purpose. And perhaps therein lies the secret: when
art listens to the people, it becomes a force capable of changing history.
Access the books by Antônio Carlos dos Santos on amazon.com or amazon.com.br
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