‘I have no intention of educating anyone’, says actor

Antonio Fagundes thanks the reporter for his punctuality in answering the phone. “If you make an appointment, you have to stick to it,” he says. For four decades, the artist has adopted the following rule in the productions he presents in theaters: the exact minute the play is scheduled to begin, no one else is allowed to enter the room. The notice is on the ticket for “Low therapy”, a comedy currently playing at Teatro Clara Nunes, in Shopping da Gávea, in the South Zone of Rio de Janeiro. “The show starts STRICTLY at the scheduled time and entry is not allowed after the start, with no exchange of tickets and/or refunds”, informs the ticket.

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Last Saturday (14), about 50 people — those who arrived one, two, ten, 20 minutes late — were stopped and left outside the theater. And they rebelled with the fact. Part of the group threatened employees and, faced with denials (and the explanation that they would need to buy tickets for another day), violently pounded on the door of the establishment. With the turmoil, the play had to be interrupted, and the session was only resumed after the arrival of police. The case was the subject of letters from readers of the newspaper O Globo.

“We are disgusted with the total lack of affection and empathy of the actor Antonio Fagundes and his team towards the public. I wish the professional to return to São Paulo, because Rio is not his beach”, criticized Rita Araujo and Marly Gutierrez. A spectator who was also stopped at the door, Miriam Rapoport reinforced the chorus: “We (my husband and I, elderly people) and about 50 other people were prevented from entering the theater to see the play. The day before, more than 30 were stopped. people. Is this going to be the whole season?” she questioned.

Fagundes points out that the rigid posture with the schedule remains firm and strong. And he regrets that the obvious — the fact that a play’s schedule does need to be respected — is not something consensual.

— I even feel uncomfortable talking about it, because it’s like we have to explain to people what the word “begins” means. If a play starts at 8 pm, the person cannot arrive at the theater two minutes before 8 pm and think that he has the right to disturb other people – comments the actor. — This is not a particular problem in Rio de Janeiro. It’s a cultural problem, ours. It’s like we’re so special that things can only start when we arrive. I stopped going to the movies because of that. People are impossible: they turn on the cell phone light and keep talking… It’s such a huge inconvenience! I don’t want the audience for my plays to suffer the same discomfort.

The actor emphasizes that the rigidity with the schedule is not intended to educate the public. This isn’t the first time he’s been in a similar situation. A few years ago, in Portugal, part of the backward public had to be restrained by Army authorities.

— People who arrive at the agreed time experience the same problem as everyone else in town. If it rained, it rained for everyone. If there was traffic, too. If there was a blitz, ditto – says Fagundes. — I have no intention of educating anyone, but of respecting those who deserve to be respected. My idea is not to penalize someone for being late, but to favor those who are on time. I don’t know why people think that, in the theater, certain rules, which are complied with in places like airports and tests like the Enem, cease to exist. Admission is a contract signed with the audience. And it says there: you cannot enter after the session has started.