Plays, movies &
best-seller books

PLAYS

RIO

Doido Varrido (Stark Crazy)—A stressed actor takes refuge in a resting clinic. There he meets his superego—interpreted by Mary Sheila—with whom he stages heated discussions. Written and interpreted by Duda Ribeiro, directed by Ernestro Piccolo.

Esperando Beckett (Waiting for Beckett)—Monologue based in several Samuel Beckett (1906-1989) texts. Marília Gabriela, a famous TV anchor in real life, is a journalist who almost suffers a nervous breakdown while waiting to interview British playwright Becket. Created and directed by Gerald Thomas.

Mais que Imperfeito (More than Imperfect)—Couple discuss their own behavior. Second part of a trilogy started by E Aí, Comeu? (How was it? Did you screw her?), by Marcelo Rubens Paiva, in which men commented on women's behavior. With Clara Garcia, Ingra Liberato, Tato Gabus Mendes, and Antônio Gonzalez.

Qualquer Gato Vira-Lata Tem uma Vida Sexual Mais Sadia Que a Nossa (Any Stray Cat Has a Healthier Sexual Life than Ours)—Girl asks a scientist to help her get back her fiancé. Written by Juca de Oliveira, directed by Bibi Ferreira, with Rita Guedes, Roger Gobeth and Marcos Pasquim.

Alta Sociedade (High Society)—A rich and famous couple has to face the whims of the Justice. Written and directed by Mauro Rasi, with veteran actors Fernanda Montenegro and Ítalo Rossi who for the first time in 30 year are again sharing the stage.

Anjo Duro (Tough Angel)—A raw-edged monologue presenting the difficult work of Nise da Silveira, the doctor who revolutionized psychiatric treatment in Brazil. From Luiz Valcazaras.

Disk Ofensa—Linha Vermelha (Dial Offense—Red Line)—After finding a homeless woman who is good at offending people a couple starts taping her invectives to use in a 900-type telephone service. Written by Pedro Vicente.

Dois Perdidos Numa Noite Suja (Two Lost Souls on a Dirty Night)— Plínio Marcos's text, which has become a classic. Two tramps trying to survive in the big city. Directed by Tanah Corrêa, with Alexandre Borges and José Moreira.

---

SÃO PAULO

Ovelhas Negras (Black Sheep)—Based in texts written by writer Caio Fernando Abreu who died from AIDS in 1996. The play portrays an artist who finds to be HIV positive. Directed by Pedro Cardillo and Claudia Schapira, with César Guiraro and Eduardo Estrela.

Pavilhão 5 (Pavilion No. 5)—A teacher becomes involved in a rebellion inside a reformatory for youngsters when she is visiting her student who was detained. Written and directed by Reinaldo Maia, with Gisele Valeri and Fernando Paz.

Cambaio (Bow-legged)—Musical telling the story of two men (one a pop star, the other a numbers runner) who fall in love for the same woman. Show Written and directed by João and Adriana Falcão with songs by Chico Buarque and Edu Lobo, and musical direction by Lenine.

Duas Mulheres e um Cadáver (Two Women and a Corpse)—First play by best-selling writer Patrícia Melo. The two women from the title are the wife and the lover of a murdered psychoanalyst. They have a love-hate relationship. With Débora Bloch, Fernanda Torres and Ricardo Pavão.

Antes Só do que Mal Acompanhado (Better Alone than in Bad Company)—Written and directed by Cláudio Carneiro. A group of actors talks about the human condition and several human feeling like fear, greed and love. By the theatrical troupe Doutores da Alegria.

Esta Noite Ouvirei Chopin (Tonight I Will Listen to Chopin) by Sérgio Pires directed by Rodolfo David. Author Pires interprets Dalva, a transvestite who gets into the stage when he hears he is very ill.

Getsemani—Tragicomedy by Mário Bortolotto who also directs. Bortolotto, is a prize-winner of the APCA-2000 for life achievement. A story of cultural terrorism. Four men kidnap an editor to force to publish literature they deem decent. With the group Cemitério de Automóveis and singer-composer Carlos Careqa.

Pret-à-Porter 4—Improv show created by the students from Centro de Pesquisa Teatral do Sesc under the supervision of director Antunes Filho. Three sketches: in a cybercafé, in a nursing home, in a school.

Vem Buscar-Me Que Ainda Sou Teu (Come Fetch Me That I'm Still Yours)—A theatrical troupe on the brink of bankruptcy keeps presenting the play Coração Materno (Motherly Heart) an adaptation of song by camp singer Vicente Celestino. Written by Carlos Alberto Soffredini, directed by Nelson Baskerville, with group Triboduscênicos. Musical comedy.

Caixa 2 (Under the Table)—Comedy. It has been playing since October 1997 and was seen by more than 600,000 people. Ângela, a secretary, is used by her lover to hide money from the Revenue Service. Directed by Fauzi Arap, with Juca de Oliveira and Mauro Mendonça.

As Sereias da Zona Sul (The Sirens of the South Zone)—Comedy. Play in four episodes about the adventures of women from Rio's south zone beach communities. Written by Miguel Falabella.

---

MOVIES

Just-released American movies:

The Legend of Bagger Vance (Lendas da Vida), Pollock (Pollock), The Replicant (Replicante), Snatch(Snatch _ Porcos e Diamantes), Cecil B. Demented (Cecil Bem Demente), The Body (O Corpo), Say It Isn't So (Diga Que Não É Verdade) State and Main (Deu a Louca nos Astros), What Women Want (Do Que as Mulheres Gostam), Dr. T and the Women (Dr. T e as Mulheres), Finding Forrester (Encontrando Forrester), The House of Mirth (A Essência da Paixão), The Limey (O Estranho), Bounce (Mais Que o Acaso), Cherry Falls (Medo em Cherry Falls), The Mexican (A Mexicana), Miss Congeniality (Miss Simpatia), Monkeybone (Monkeybone _ No Limite da Imaginação), Almost Famous (Quase Famosos), Fifteen Minutes (Quinze Minutos), Under Suspicion (Sob Suspeita), Traffic (Traffic)

Minha Vida em Suas Mãos (My Life in Your Hands)—Brazil/2000—Police action. College professor is kidnapped and raped by a young and pretty robber. The victim falls in love with her torturer, calls the police on him and then apologizes and decides to live with the bandit when he escapes from prison. With Caco Ciocler and Maria Zilda Bethlem. Also in the cast: Ney Latorraca, Imara Reis, Roberto Bonfim, Cristina Aché and Stepan Nercessian.

Amores Possíveis (Possible Loves)—Brazil/2000—Romantic comedy by Sandra Werneck. Once again the director deals with heartbreaks telling three different love stories but interchangeable between the characters. It all starts when Carlos waits for his sweetheart at the movie theater. He ends up meeting Júlia. Fifteen years later Carlos has become a successful lawyer and unhappy husband, or a gay, or a chronic bachelor still looking for the ideal woman. With Murilo Benício, Carolina Ferraz, Beth Goulart, Emílio de Mello, Irene Ravache and Alberto Szafran.

Senta a Pua! (Hit Them Hard)—Brazil/1999—Documentary about Brazil's participation in the Second World War. Twenty three former combatants—pilots and plane mechanics—tell their exciting war stories. By Erik de Castro.

O Chamado de Deus (God's Call)—Brazil/2000—By José Joffily. Documentary about the daily routine of six seminarians (Brasil, 2000). Three of them prepare themselves for the religious career following the philosophy of the charismatic Catholicism and the other three under a Liberation Theology perspective. All of them are also shown visiting their families, the highlight of the film. www.ochamadodedeus.com.br

Babilônia 2000 (Babylon 2000)—Brazil/2000—Documentary directed by Eduardo Coutinho. (Brasil, 2000). Coutinho who directed acclaimed Cabra Marcado para Morrer and Santo Forte shows the arrival of year 2000 on Rio's slums. Together with four other directors and using digital cameras, he was able to collect touching and candid testimonies at the Babilônia and Chapéu Mangeuira hills.

Tainá—Uma Aventura na Amazônia (Tainá, An Adventure in the Amazon)—Brazil/2000—Adventure movie for kids. Directed by Tânia Lamarca and Sérgio Bloch.

Brava Gente Brasileira (Brave Brazilian Folks)—Brazil/2000—Historic drama. The love story between Dom Diogo, a Portuguese colonizer, and Indian girl Ánote. Set against the story of the colonization of Mato Grosso's Pantanal. Directed by Lúcia Murat, with Diogo Infante, Luciana Rigueira, Floriano Peixoto.

Um Anjo Trapalhão (A Fumbling Angel)—Brazil/1996—Comedy. Released originally on TV. Simpleton Didi Mocó arrives at Vila Esperança decided to make its residents once again believe in Santa Claus. Directed by Alexandre Boury and Marcelo Travasso, with Renato Aragão plus Isadora Ribeiro, Francisco Cuoco, Regina Duarte and Deborah Secco.

---

BEST-SELLER BOOKS

FICTION

1 As mentiras que os homens contam, Luis Fernando Verissimo. Objetiva, R$ 16,90

2 Ninguém é de ninguém, Zíbia Gasparetto. Espaço Vida e Consciência, R$ 22

3 Secreções, excreções e desatinos, Rubem Fonseca. Companhia das Letras, R$ 21

4 Comédias para se ler na escola, Luis Fernando Verissimo. Objetiva, R$ 16

5 Harry Potter e a pedra filosofal, J.K. Rowling. Rocco, R$ 22

6 Retrato em Sépia, Isabel Allende. Bertrand, R4 44

7 Harry Potter e a câmara secreta, J.K. Rowling. Rocco, R$ 22

8 A confraria, John Grisham. Rocco, R$ 29

9 O demônio e a srta. Prym, Paulo Coelho. Objetiva, R$ 19,90

10 Harry Potter e o prisioneiro de Azkaban, J.K. Rowling. Rocco, R$ 25

NONFICTION

1 Um dia daqueles, Bradley Greive. Sextante, R$ 19.90

2 A arte da felicidade, Dalai Lama. Martins Fontes, R$ 32,50

3 Como dizer tudo em inglês, Ronald Martinez, Campus, R$ 29

4 Quem mexeu no meu queijo?, Spencer Johnson. Record, R$ 19

5 Pai rico, pai pobre, Robert Kiyosaki. Campus, R$ 24

6 Os templários, Piers Paul Read. Imago, R$ 40

7 O livro da sabedoria, Dalai Lama. Martins Fontes, R$ 9,80

8 Limites sem trauma, Tânia Zagury. Record, R$ 20

9 O avantajado livro de pensamentos do Casseta e Planeta, Casseta e Planeta. Objetiva, R$ 15

10 História do pensamento ocidental, Bertrand Russell. Ediouro, R$ 29,90

ESOTERICISM & SELF HELP

1 Histórias para aquecer o coração, Jack Canfield e Mark Hansen. Sextante, R$ 19,90

2 Mantenha seu cérebro vivo, Rubem Katz. Sextante, R$ 18,90

3 O livro dos signos, Maria Castro. Campus, R$ 39

4 A fonte da juventude, Peter Kelder. Best-Seller, R$ 14

5 Minutos de sabedoria, C.T. Pastorino. Vozes, R$ 4,80

6 Auto-estima do seu filho, Dorothy Briggs. Martins Fontes, R$ 27,50

7 Não faça tempestade em copo d'água no trabalho, Richard Carlson. Rocco, R$ 21,50

8 O poder da cabala, Rabbi Yehuda Berg. Imago, R$ 30

9 O livro da sorte, F. Ramon. Trevo, R$ 7

10 Almanaque do pensamento 2001. Pensamento, R$ 6,90

According to Jornal do Brasil, http://www.jb.com.br  

Send your
comments to
Brazzil