Workers at the Teatro Nacional D. Maria II (TNDMII) in Lisbon warned on Wednesday of physical and psychological exhaustion and of improvised working conditions, just days before the historic theatre reopens to the public.
The TNDMII building reopens on Friday with a three-day festive programme, but the workers' committee said in a statement that the working conditions promised to staff when they vacated the space during renovation have not materialised.
The committee said years of strain do not disappear simply because the doors reopen. It said physical and psychological fatigue is now a reality that cannot be ignored, and that there are serious concerns about the mental and emotional health of the team that will not be resolved by celebrating September 18.
Missing furniture and safety concerns
According to the workers, most workstations still lack the necessary furniture. They said several problems have been identified and reported to management, including blocked lifts and freight elevators, a fire detection system that is not yet fully operational, and the absence of air conditioning.
The workers' committee also demanded that negotiations over the company agreement be treated as a priority by the government and by the national theatre's board of directors.
Three years of renovation work
The Teatro Nacional D. Maria II is preparing to reopen its historic building on Rossio square in Lisbon after three years closed for renovation work carried out under Portugal's Recovery and Resilience Plan.
In an interview with the Lusa news agency published on September 12, the theatre's artistic director, Pedro Penim, described the reopening as a landmark moment in the history of the national theatre.
Penim said that while the theatre had not stopped its activity during the closure, touring more than 100 municipalities with performances and a range of other activities, the time had finally come to open the doors of the Rossio building and present a programme deeply shaped by the period spent away from it.
Three days of celebrations
The official reopening will be marked with three days of celebrations in the city. One of the highlights will be a staging of William Shakespeare's "Macbeth," directed by Pedro Penim.
