Musis

When the Alcobaça International Chamber Music Competition (CIMCA) was organized—held between March 29 and April 3, 2009, in Alcobaça—we were invited to open the event. To this end, we created a series of wordless, comedic sketches featuring puppets.

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Our audience consisted primarily of musicians from various countries, including Brazil, the United States, Spain, Poland, France, Russia, and Portugal. In preparatory discussions with Pedro Marques and Mário Marques, we developed a series of humorous scenes in which the musicians could recognize themselves in the most hilarious situations. Many ideas emerged, but through an in-depth exploration of the musical world, we discovered something truly unimaginable.

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There exist some rather peculiar "beings" that live and reproduce in places typically frequented by musical ensembles. These creatures—which we named "Musis" (scientific name: *Bone caladus comicus*)—inhabit the spaces among music stands and instruments. They generally appear only when no other species of musician is around, taking advantage of the warmth left behind by them.

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While "Musis" cannot articulate words, some are capable of coaxing sounds from abandoned or forgotten instruments. They are a friendly, pleasant breed, characterized by cream-colored skin, white hair with black roots, and large eyes. Occasionally, they can be spotted from a distance.

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"Musis" are highly sensitive to noise; therefore, if you wish to observe them, we advise you to remain absolutely silent. Should you be fortunate enough to observe this species up close, try to mask your presence by laughing at their movements—the sound of laughter is, in fact, relaxing to them. To date, we have only managed to observe four individuals of this species, though it is almost certain that more exist.

 

 

Credits

Original Concept, Direction, and Manipulation: José Manuel Valbom Gil, Mário Marques, Natacha Costa Pereira, and Sofia Olivença Vinagre

Music and Sound Design: Mário Marques

Actor: Tomé Simão

Puppets: José Manuel Valbom Gil

Costumes: Maria Luísa Gil

Production: S.A.Marionetas – Teatro & Bonecos and the 1st Alcobaça International Chamber Music Competition