A falsa alegria no Pequeno teatro da felicidade (1977), de Márcio Souza

Abstract

The (mis)paths of Brazilian politics in authoritarian periods and theatrical metalanguage constitute the bases that sustain the play Pequeno teatro da felicidade, by Márcio Souza. Starting from the Cabanagem revolt, it weaves a critical panel about the arbitrariness of the civil-military dictatorship. The analysis, qualitative in nature, takes into account its structure and the themes linked to political criticism, with the purpose of emphasizing its actuality regarding the threats to democracy. The theoretical contribution is based on the literary and essayistic contributions of Márcio Souza, on his critical fortune, on theatrical theory, on the thought around authoritarianism and testimonial writing. Thus, the play mimics the oppressive regimes in general and their murderous greed, but also the resistance and the fight for freedom, giving art a fundamental role in the face of barbarism.

Keywords

• theater
• dictatorship
• testimony
• márcio souza