The Municipality of Paredes hosts, between September and November 2026, the second edition of Astrolábia – Theatre Encounters in Paredes, promoted by the theatre company Astro Fingido. This initiative brings together different national theatre structures and takes artistic creation to three parishes of the municipality: Duas Igrejas, Rebordosa and Sobreira, in a commitment to cultural decentralization and bringing artists and local communities closer together.
This year's edition is based on the theme "The Exercise of Power" and hosts three companies: Baal17, from Serpa, Estúdio Fontenova, from Setúbal, and Jangada Teatro, from Lousada. The programme includes the shows "The Broken Jug" (September 5), "What Nation-State?" (October 3) and "The Barge" (November 18), which propose a reflection on the multiple forms of exercising power through works that address justice, national identity and moral judgement.
The opening show, "The Broken Jug" by Baal17, is based on a text by Heinrich von Kleist and presents a story about a village court where Dona Marta demands justice. "What Nation-State?" by Teatro Estúdio Fontenova addresses the political mechanisms of the Estado Novo and the secrets of Portuguese families of that period. "The Barge", by Jangada Teatro, is a reinterpretation of Gil Vicente's "Auto da Barca do Inferno" (The Play of the Ferryboat of Hell), which uses a cardboard box as a set in a minimalist celebration of theatrical art.
Astrolábia is funded by the Portuguese Republic Culture, Youth and Sports and by the Directorate-General for the Arts, with support from the Municipality of Paredes and the parishes involved. According to artistic director Fernando Moreira, the cycle proposes a path of reflection that invites the audience to question the power relations that shape society, affirming theatre as an important space to critically observe the present.
