Story perspectives

New play sparks protests over fascist-killing ritual scene

By Drooid · Sep 23, 2026, 2:25 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Playwright Tiago Rodrigues stages his new play at the National Theatre’s Dorfman Theatre.
The drama portrays a Portuguese family that annually kidnaps and kills a fascist as ritual protest.
In the 2028 scene, youngest daughter Catarina refuses to shoot the captured fascist, sparking family debate.
Audience members have walked out, shouted protests, and laughed nervously after a half-hour fascist monologue.

History

Historical Context

The 25 April 1974 Carnation Revolution, a military coup by the Armed Forces Movement that toppled Marcelo Caetano, sparked Portugal’s transition to democracy and the 1976 Constitution that banned extremist propaganda. Decades later, a Dorfman Theatre play depicting a fictional family killing a fascist sparked walkouts echoing the popular resistance that erupted during the 1974 revolution, showing how the anti-fascist legacy still fuels cultural debate.

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Story summary

Playwright Tiago Rodrigues stages his new play at the National Theatre’s Dorfman Theatre.
The drama portrays a Portuguese family that annually kidnaps and kills a fascist as ritual protest.
In the 2028 scene, youngest daughter Catarina refuses to shoot the captured fascist, sparking family debate.
Audience members have walked out, shouted protests, and laughed nervously after a half-hour fascist monologue.

1 / 2