Full Breakdown
Catarina and the Beauty of Killing Fascists: A Controversial UK Premiere
By Drooid · · How we work
Plot and Core Themes
Tiago Rodrigues’s 2020 play imagines Portugal in 2028, a near-future where a far-right party has won a general election and is poised to amend the constitution. A rural family continues a seventy-year tradition—originating from the 1954 murder of protester Catarina Eufémia—of kidnapping and executing a “fascist” each year as a ritual protest. All family members adopt the name Catarina and wear women’s clothing, subverting gendered pronouns in Portuguese. The youngest Catarina refuses to carry out the killing, prompting a clash between armed resistance and tolerance of intolerance. The play mixes violent rhetoric, comedy, and magical-realist imagery to question whether labeling opponents “fascists” is justified and how far a society should go to oppose authoritarianism.
Production History and UK Premiere
The work debuted at Centro Cultural Vila Flor in Guimarães in 2020 and has toured Europe. Its UK premiere opened at the National Theatre’s Dorfman Theatre, running through September 26. The cast includes Isabel Abreu and Beatriz Maia as mother and daughter, Romeu Costa as the captured fascist, with designers F Ribeiro and José António Tenente creating a surreal stage.
Political Context in Portugal
Since Rodrigues imagined his 2028 scenario, Portugal’s right-wing Chega party became the second-largest force in the 2025 parliamentary election, and André Ventura reached the second round of the 2026 presidential election, giving the play’s setting heightened resonance.
Reception in London
Reviews note a mixed audience response. The Arts Desk observed a largely silent crowd with occasional groans and a few walkouts, describing the atmosphere as “glum but mainly silent.” West End Best Friend reported similar, limited disruptions in London, echoing reports of walkouts and protests in other countries.
Critical Perspectives
Critics praised the ensemble’s chemistry and the play’s ambition, but some found it heavy-handed. The Guardian called the dialogue “gnomic and mannered,” questioning whether the work critiques a left that talks endlessly without decisive action. The Arts Desk found the 25-minute fascist speech “almost unendurable,” suggesting the didactic approach may alienate rather than persuade. West End Best Friend highlighted the refusal to provide a tidy resolution, forcing audiences to confront uncomfortable moral questions.
Data & Statistics
- Original premiere: 2020, Guimarães, Portugal.
- UK run: until September 26.
- Portuguese election outcomes: Chega second-largest party in 2025; André Ventura in 2026 presidential runoff.
- Audience disruptions: walkouts and protests reported in multiple countries; limited walkouts in London.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the London audience’s tone. The Guardian notes nervous laughter and whistles; the Arts Desk stresses a predominantly silent, glum crowd. Both agree walkouts occurred, but the extent remains unclear. No official statements from the National Theatre or the playwright have clarified the intended audience impact.
The National Theatre’s staging of *Catarina and the Beauty of Killing Fascists* brings a Portuguese political allegory to a British stage as far-right forces gain ground across Europe, prompting both admiration for its daring premise and criticism for its overt didacticism.
