Written by Filipe Gouveia and directed by Diogo Freitas, As Três Irmãs is not an adaptation of Chekhov’s classic, but rather a theatrical rehearsal spiralling into uncertainty. The production follows a company trapped inside the process of staging the play, unable to find a way out.

Set within the rehearsal room of a major theatre, the piece centres on Clara, Marta and Tomás, actors attempting to perform The Three Sisters while confronting their own frustrations, unpaid contracts and doubts about a script that never seems complete. The director alternates between control and indecision, while the dramaturge continuously delivers rewritten pages mid-rehearsal. Chekhov himself, expected to attend, never appears.

As the rehearsal fractures, so too does the boundary between fiction and reality. Discussions emerge around some of the defining tensions of contemporary theatre: who has the right to tell certain stories, whether staging a Russian playwright is appropriate in a world shaped by war, and the growing divide between entertainment and culture. Roles shift unexpectedly, arguments surface, and the production itself begins to resemble the philosophical paradox of the Ship of Theseus — another reference woven into the performance.

“Are we even doing Three Sisters anymore?” one character asks. “Yes. But differently.”

Beneath the humour and self-awareness lies the enduring pull of Chekhov’s central longing. Moscow remains distant, almost mythical, yet life must continue regardless.

Produced by Momento - Artistas Independentes, the production is co-produced by the Auditório Carlos do Carmo, Teatro Diogo Bernardes, Theatro Gil Vicente, the Cineteatro Louletano, the Teatro José Lúcio da Silva and the Teatro Municipal de Bragança.

The production premieres at the Auditório Carlos do Carmo in Lagoa on 22 May at 7pm, before touring nationally until March 2027. Further performances include Ponte de Lima on 29 May and Barcelos on 13 June.

The production is recommended for audiences aged 12 and above, runs for 85 minutes, and includes Portuguese Sign Language interpretation and audio description. Tickets are priced at €8 at https://www.bol.pt/