The Teatro Experimental de Cascais was founded on November 13, 1965. Its history is closely linked to the director Carlos Avillez, one of its founders and leaders, who passed away in 2023 from cardiorespiratory arrest. Now, a year after the premiere of the last play he envisioned and the release of the book that immortalises him, the company he dedicated his life to celebrates six decades. The celebrations begin on November 13 with a new production, O Amansar da Fera by William Shakespeare, and an exhibition dedicated to Filipe La Féria.
Directed by Cucha Carvalheiro, O Amansar da Fera is a serious reflection – in a comedic tone – on the status of women in society. The production will bring together the company’s resident actors and several generations from the Escola Profissional de Teatro de Cascais. It will run until December 14 at Teatro Mirita Casimiro in Estoril, with performances from Wednesday to Saturday at 21.00 and on Sundays at 16.00. Tickets, available on site and online, cost 15 euros.
Earlier, on November 8, the TEC Memory Space, also at Teatro Mirita Casimiro, opens at 17.00 for the inauguration of an exhibition dedicated to Filipe La Féria. Organised by João Vasco, “O Menino Filipe” celebrates the director’s career, who began as an actor at the Teatro Experimental de Cascais and even participated in several revolutionary productions of the time. The exhibition runs until January 31, 2026, and can be visited on weekends from 15.00 to 19.00. From Tuesday to Friday, visits are arranged for groups by appointment via phone (96 474 0852).
Founded by Carlos Avillez and João Vasco, TEC is today one of the longest-standing theatre companies in the world and a rare case in Portugal. Born out of the need to create a type of theatre with a contemporary artistic language and universal reach, it has developed, over six decades, a unique creative body of work celebrating both classical and contemporary authors. TEC has also hosted renowned directors such as Fernanda Lapa and Rogério de Carvalho, visual artists like Almada Negreiros and Graça Morais, and composers including Carlos Paredes and António Vitorino de Almeida.
The TEC Memory Space, founded in 2004, is the only private theatre museum in Portugal. It displays part of the company’s archive and includes a room for temporary exhibitions. In addition, TEC’s legacy includes the Mostra T festival, the biennial Text Competition to promote new national authors, and more recently, the Theatre, Inclusion and Communities Project, which carries out social work at Linhó Prison with a group of inmates.
Teatro Mirita Casimiro. Exhibition: 8 Nov-31 Jan 2026, Sat-Sun 15.00-19.00. Show: 13 Nov-14 Dec, Wed-Sat 21.00, Sun 16.00. Free entry (exhibition), 15€ (show).