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A participatory performance about democracy.

Teatro Munganga in Amsterdam, directed by Claudia Maoli and Carlos Lagoeiro, is since 1987 a house of performance, music and resistance. In this performance, Teatro Munganga will stage an event on the state of democracy in the present day.
Our point of departure is that democracy isn’t dead. It is wounded and in need of attention and care.

How could we touch democracy with care, and in turn be touched its vitality, so that we feel compelled to care for her, just like we would care for someone we love?

This performance invites voices of democracy to come out of the shadows. Together, we will listen to them and share what we hear when we undo ourselves of learned systems and beliefs.
Sound by sound, word by word, image by image, we will create a reflection of the state of democracy nowadays and maybe also create a vision of a future where democracy is right in our hands.

Not as a way to control her, but as a way to care for her.

What are the voices of democracy that you would like to lift out of the shadows?

Where do you encounter them?

What do they tell us about democracy?

The programme for Saturday 30 May 2026 is as follows:

3.45 pm = Doors open
4.00 pm = Procession with all participants around the block where Munganga is located; a “hug” for our neighbours.
4.30 pm = Back at Munganga;
4.45 pm = Performance by Anne Walsemann (Dutch dancer), Chieko Donkerduys (Japanese/Brazilian cellist) and Bao Sissoko (Senegalese kora musician)
5.30 pm = Dinner!! – Starter served during a speech by Fabio de Castro, environmental anthropologist, on democracy, followed by a discussion with all attendees.
Moderator: Marie Beauchamps (poet, programme maker, policy advisor)
6.10 pm = Short puppet theatre sketch: Uma cena Familiar.
By Jeannie Zuiderwijk, André Melo, Carlos Lagoeiro, directed by Lagoeiro & Velraeds
6.20 pm – Dinner is served.
18:30 – Speech by Iris Boels, Amsterdam’s Environment Mayor, followed by a discussion with all attendees.
Moderator: Marie Beauchamps.
19:05 – Screening of the first part of the video documentary Voices about democracy.
Discussion and a task led by moderator Marie Beauchamps.
19:25 – Speech by Tarim Nduma Flach, anthropologist: race, gender, sex & coloniality, followed by a discussion with all attendees. Moderator: Marie Beauchamps.
20:00 – Dessert plus screening of the second part of the video documentary Voices about democracy.
20:30 – DJ Neilor & Closing

This is an artistic collaboration with the European project Democracy in Action, coordinated by Leiden University.

Democreation – Voices of democracy creating together

                            Een participatieve belevenis over democratie. Een artistieke samenwerking met het Europese project Democracy in Action gecoördineerd door de Universiteit Leiden.

Teatro Munganga in Amsterdam, onder leiding van Claudia Maoli en Carlos Lagoeiro, is sinds 1987 een centrum voor theater, muziek en verzet. Tijdens dit evenement staan we stil bij de huidige staat van de democratie, met behulp van verschillende uitingsvormen: muziek, theater, documentaire, gesprekken en eten.

Our point of departure is that democracy isn’t dead. It is wounded and in need of attention and care. How could democracy with care, and in turn be touched its vitality, so that we feel compelled to care for her, just like we would care for someone we love?

This performance invites voices of democracy to come out of the shadows. Together we will listen to them and share what we hear when we undo ourselves of leamed systems and beliefs. Sound by sound, word by word, image by image, we will create a vision of a future where democracy is right in our hands. Not as a way to control, but as a way to care for her.

Het programma op Zaterdag 30 mei 2026 is als volgt:
15:45 uur = Door open
16:00 uur = Optocht met alle deelnemers rondom het blok waar Munganga zich bevindt; een “omhelzing” aan onze buren.
16:30 uur = Terug in Munganga;
16:45 uur = Presentatie performance van Anne Walsemann (Nederlandse dancer), Chieko Donkerduys (Japaanse/Braziliaans Cellist) en Bao Sissoko (Senegalees Kora muzikant)
17:30 uur = Aan tafel!!- Voorgerecht tijdens de speech van Fabio de Castro, environmental anthropologist over democratie gevolgd door gesprek met alle aanwezigen.
Moderator Marie Beauchamps (dichter, programmamaker, beleidsadviseur)
18:10 uur = Korte Poppentheater sketch: Uma cena Familiar.
Door Jeannie Zuiderwijk, André Melo, Carlos Lagoeiro, regie Lagoeiro & Velraeds
18:20 – Eten wordt geserveerd.
18:30 - Speech van Iris Boels, Milieuburgemeester van Amsterdam gevolgd door gesprek met alle aanwezigen.
Mediator: Marie Beauchamps.
19:05 uur = Vertoning van eerste deel – videodocumentaire Voices about democracy.
Gesprek plus een opdracht door moderator Marie Beauchamps.
19:25 uur = Speech van Tarim Nduma Flach, anthropologist: race, gender, sex & coloniality, gevolgd door gesprek met alle aanwezigen. Moderator: Marie Beauchamps.
20:00 uur - Toetje plus tweede deel vertoning van videodocumentaire Voices about democracy.
20:30 uur – DJ Neilor & Afsluiting

We zouden het fijn vinden als jij aanwezig zou kunnen zijn.

Bevestig je aanwezigheid alsjeblieft door een e-mail te sturen naar info@munganga.nl.

Hartelijke groet, Cláudia Maoli & Carlos Lagoeiro.