CV | helenahipolito

Work

Director/Creator

2023/25 (WIP) LUDO by Helena Hipólito performed and developed with Ana Banha

Translator, creator, director and designer.

LUDO is a bilingual one-woman show telling the (sur)real life story of Ludovica "Ludo" Fernandes Mano. After Angola's independence (1975), Ludo barricaded herself and her dog, Phantom, inside her sister's apartment on the top floor of "The Building of the Envied” for 28 years.

LUDO explores themes of survival, post-colonialism, language-culture, and the human spirit's capacity to endure. The show uses multimedia to bridge the language barrier between Portuguese and English, preserving the original language's poetic sound.

★★★ Ludo has great potential. With further development, it could become something genuinely moving. Its themes of grief and isolation are universally resonant, especially given the events of recent years. - The Reviews Hub

2021/22 TALES OF GIN AND TONIC by Helena Hipólito

Creator, director, translator and designer.

Rework of M&M's as a bilingual Eng/Pt production. Base on the previous work and with new work by Mário Henrique-Leiria and based on Mário Viegas’s style of spoken words. This play focus in explore the absurdities in every ones life, presented with irony and sarcasm.

2018 HELENA (academic) by Helena Hipólito

Creator, director, performer and designer.

HELENA is a bilingual and autobiographic piece that explores a crises of identity that can result from a deep submersion on another language and culture.

2017 PLAN B, a play about a ridiculous man by Helena Hipólito

Co-deviser/Director and Producer Contemporânea/Bedford Place Theatre, UK

PLAN B is a dark comedy, a satirical response to this new world. The intention behind this piece is to explore 'who we are' and 'where we are' in civilization. It takes references from Dostoyevsky's Existentialism.

2015 M&M’s by Helena Hipólito

Creator, Director, Performer and Producer ATPC Rapazes d’Aldeia/Glória do Ribatejo, Portugal;

From Os Contos do Gin Tónic by Mário Henrique-Leiria and based on Mário Viegas’s style of spoken words. This play focus in explore the absurdities in every ones life, presented with irony and sarcasm.

2015 TASC’A SAUDADE by Helena Hipólito

Writer/Director and Producer Senior University project/Salvaterra de Magos, Portugal;

From the performance of Ivone Silva e Camilo de Oliveira this play focus on recreate a classic Portuguese’s style of theatre - “Revista”, most used to speak free under the censure in the time of Dictatorship in Portugal.

2014 CÁ ME ARRANJO, by Helena Hipólito

Writer/Director and Producer Senior University project/Salvaterra de Magos, Portugal;

Based on recognised scenes of Portuguese’s classic movies.

2014 AO ATIAR DO LUME by Joaquim Murale

Director and Producer ATPC Rapazes d’Aldeia/Glória do Ribatejo, Portugal;

2013 A Teen's Confessions' by Maria Mariana.

Director and Producer ATPC Rapazes d’Aldeia/Glória do Ribatejo, Portugal;

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Associate Director

2024/25 Muse Theatre London, Portobello Road

Muse Theatre runs collaborative productions with theatre groups, directors and writers showcasing new material to live audiences.

2024/25 If Mouth Could Speak | Written and created by Timotei Cobeanu | Music composition and direction by Michael Crean

Absurdist romance, urban nightmares and immersive soundscapes collide in this spoken word solo-show about identity, London and mental health through the lens of a reckless young person on the edge of collapse.

★★★★★ 'Tips you into an emotional awakening. Unimaginably brilliant.' - A Young(ish) Perspective

★★★★★ 'A poem of stunningly visceral personality...An utter triumph.' - Edinburgh Fringe Review

★★★★ 'A powerful celebration of life in the big city, in all its suffering glory.' - Fairy Powered Productions

'A commanding performance...an impressive debut for Cobeanu...Obsessively detailed 3D soundscapes that mix clubby electronica and jazz compositions by Crean.' The Scotsman

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Statements about the work

‘Helena has sense of responsibility and professionalism, and is curious about the work process’ - Artistas Unidos

‘She has a wonderful instrument. Movement, voice, sensitivity are all exemplary and accessible. In addition she works as a great team player with others, and her colleagues were grateful to have her there.’ - Marcia Haufrecht

‘She has a very good relation with her body language and voice.

She showed that she is also a great human being ready to work in team and with a major sense of responsibility.’ - Bruno Schiappa

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Community Work/Other Achievements

Reactivated Paulo Claro Rapazes D’Aldeia's Theater Association, of which was President, Artistic Director, performer, technician and costumes and props manager. (2011/2015)

Founder, Artistic director and programmer for the Encontro de Teatro (Theatre Encounter) Paulo Claro (2012/2016).

Was founder, amateur actress and props and costumes manager of the amateur theater group Dizia A Mãe Que Ele Não se Criava, an academic theatre group at the Superior School of Education of Portalegre (2010/2012).

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Training

BA (Hons) 2:1 in Theatre and Professional Practice, at the University of Bedfordshire (2015/2018).

Academic Internship at the University of Bedfordshire for Technical Theatre with Alex Perry, head Technician at the University’s Theatre (lighting, sound, video, front of house, backstage, risk assessment, knots and ladders) (2017).

Professional paid 12 months placement in the Division of Culture, Sport and Education in the City Hall of Salvaterra de Magos, teaching and creating Theatre for the Senior University project and invigorated the dramatic expression in summer camps and ateliers for children (2014/2015).

Intensive workshop, in English, on "The Method" directed by Márcia Haufrecht from Actors' Studio New York at the Inatel Fundation, Lisbon, Portugal (2014, August).

Drama and Devised Theatre's course with Bruno Schiappa, Cultural Center of Cartaxo and Chapitô, Portugal (2013/2014).

Academic internship at the Professional Theatre Company ‘Artistas Unidos', where had as role assistant director of Jorge Silva Melo, supporting Synge’s play THE PLAYBOY OF THE WEST WORLD and David Greig’s MIDSUMMER [a play with songs] (2013).

Bologna Degree in Arts Education from Superior School of Portalegre, Portugal (2008/2012).

References

Anthony Biggs, U.K.

Timotei Cobeanu, U.K.

Peader Kirk, U.K.

Artistas Unidos, Portugal

Bruno Schippa, Portugal

References contacts are available on request.