Dom Roberto

	Dom Roberto
D. Roberto theater represents one of the oldests performance popular arts, not only in its portuguese version but also in the european traditions and even in the eastern tradition of popular heroes. In fact, this form of popular theater has his roots in the european traditional Commedia dell'Arte from Italy (16th century) and it seems likely that its evolution suffered influences also from the eastern traditions.
During the 17th century, travelling artists mainly italian and french propitiate a blending in the art form, being its evolution directly connected to each country's cultural specificities. In any case, persevering characteristics can be found in all the european traditions of popular heroes: the subversive/burlesque scripts and plays, the use of an amplifying device similar to a whistle with a very high pitch sound, designed both to call the audience attention and to emphasize the syncronization of sound and movement that is so important in the creation of life illusion in puppets and the invencibility of the heroes, capable of defeating even the worst of enemies: death. In the portuguese ramification, unlike some of the other european ramifications, all the characters speak with this "whistle voice". Known in the present as D.Roberto theater it was not always like that, since in the 18th century there were several names used to describe this glove puppet tradition.
The name D.Roberto was either linked to a play called "The Devil's Robert" or to a widely known entrepeneur called Roberto Xavier de Matos. The D. Roberto theater had a remarkable sucess until the mid 20th century. In that period it could be seen in any fair, beach or city, beeing usually presented in a large tent called pavillion. Even though the coming of modern entertainment forms gradually lead the D. Roberto theater close to disappearing, it survived until today through the sometimes controverse and fragmented testimonies of master puppeteers Domingos Moura, Manuel Dias and the owner of one of the famous "pavillions" ("Mexican Pavillion") Manuel Rosado. Curiously both puppeteerers worked in the pavillion but also worked individually in the beaches, fairs and cities of Portugal, amusing several generations of children.

*Traditional Portuguese Popular Puppeteers*

António Dias	Domingos Moura	Rosado Manuel	Cesário Nunes
António Dias Born in Rossio-ao-sul-do-Tejo (north of Lisbon). At the age of 16, runs from his parents house and starts working in Master Faustino's Theater on Setúbal fair. There he learns the art and mysteries of the “Robertos”. When his employer goes bankrupt Master Dias starts his own road theater and works first on the streets of Lisbon and later on all over the country. In 1962 stars in the movie "Dom Roberto" by Ernesto de Sousa also starring Raul Solnado and Glicinia Quartin, at the time the movie gave the puppeteer a considerable success. Master António Dias kept his theater alive until the last day of his life. Dies in the summer of 1986. At a certain point teams up with another popular puppeteer - Cesário Nunes - which allows not only more elaborate plays but also the inclusion of extra characters, as is the case in “A Rosa e os três namorados” and “O castelo dos fantasmas”. António Dias worked with state institute FAOJ under coordination of master Francisco Esteves, with the plays “O Barbeiro” and “A Tourada”. In “O Barbeiro” the coffin's final scene was censored by FAOJ's services.
Domingos Basto Moura Born in S. Roque (Forjães - Esposende) in June 19, 1921. Learned the art at the age of 21 in puppeteer master Manuel Rosado's itinerant theater, Pavilhão Mexicano, where António Dias also worked. Dies in 199?. Worked in the north of the country in beaches, fairs and public gardens.
Manuel Rosado Proprietor of itinerant D. Roberto theater: Pavilhão Mexicano. The theater presented plays which simultaneously included D. Roberto puppets of two techniques: the traditional glove technique and strings technique. Manuel Rosado left a collection of over 150 string puppets and around 100 glove puppets. This collection was until 2001 entrusted to Teatro Ensaio de Glória do Ribatejo, in that year it was donated to the Museu da Marioneta (Convento das Bernardas) in Lisbon. Repertoire of the Pavilhão Mexicano: “A expulsão dos jesuítas pelo Marquês de Pombal, na Barra de Lisboa”; “A Rosa e os três namorados”; “Uma tourada à Portuguesa”; “O Barbeiro diabólico”; “A volta do Zé do Telhado”; “O milagre da Rainha Santa”; “Um milagre de Santo António”; “Um milagre de Fátima”; “O Saloio de Alcobaça”; “Noivado no Sepulcro”...
Cesário Cruz Nunes Born in Lisbon in December 18, 1925. Started working as a puppeteer in 1946 (aged 20) after seeing a show by António Dias. Stopped working in puppeteering when in 1952 joined the Câmara Municipal de Lisboa (city hall). Later on, moves to Caldas da Rainha where he works as a plumber, first for the City Hall and afterwards for himself. As a puppeteer worked alone at first and later with António Dias. His activities took place in the south and central areas of the country (from Figueira da Foz to Algarve). Worked regularly in fairs in Caldas da Rainha, Vila Franca, Santarém and Moita do Ribatejo amongst others...
The biographical work on all of these puppeteers is still incomplete, therefore we appeal to anyone who might have information on any of these artists, to please contact sam@samarionetas.com. Help us make the history of traditional Portuguese puppet theater more complete.