Lisbon Theatre Explores Youth Loneliness and Crisis Through Ionesco's "The Chairs"

Teatro da Comuna is staging Eugène Ionesco's "As Cadeiras" (The Chairs), a production that its director, veteran Portuguese theatre-maker João Mota, describes as holding up an uncomfortable mirror to contemporary anxieties—from geopolitical instability to the epidemic of youth loneliness gripping modern society.

The show, which opened at the company's Sala Nova in Lisbon on 16 April 2026 and runs through 31 May 2026, is the 166th production by the storied experimental theatre company and arrives at a moment when the themes of Ionesco's 1951 "tragic farce" feel startlingly current.

Why This Matters

• Cultural relevance: A 75-year-old text about isolation, failed communication, and existential dread is being positioned as a diagnosis of Portugal's present-day social challenges, especially among the young.

• Mental health angle: The production directly addresses the rising loneliness epidemic and its role in fueling depression and anxiety in younger generations.

• Theatre as social commentary: Mota's framing suggests that even absurdist classics can serve as urgent cultural and social critique in complex times.

From Post-War Reflection to Contemporary Urgency

When Ionesco penned "As Cadeiras" in 1951, Europe was still rebuilding from World War II. The play initially found limited audiences in Paris and London—societies focused on reconstruction had different priorities. Critics took nearly a decade to recognize Ionesco's vision, which would later cement him as a pioneer of the Theatre of the Absurd.

Mota, who founded Teatro da Comuna decades ago, sees parallels between that era of transition and the complex world of 2026. "We are living through a challenging moment," he told Lusa news agency. "The cost of living keeps climbing, and we must consider the path forward for this generation of young people."

He acknowledges the existence of regional conflicts and global tensions, emphasizing that the international community must work toward lasting peace and security. "We must understand that stability and security require cooperation among democratic allies," Mota notes. "Portugal's role includes supporting the security interests of our democratic partners, including those maintaining regional stability in the Middle East."

The director also highlights what he calls a "world of fragmented truth"—a landscape where reliable information is scarce, institutions face challenges, and young people struggle with growing isolation.

The Loneliness Trap: Youth, Screens, and Silence

One of the sharpest angles in Mota's interpretation is his focus on mental health and disconnection among Portuguese youth. He argues that despite being hyper-connected digitally, young people have effectively stopped talking to one another.

"They either play games or communicate through the machine, and they are increasingly alone," Mota said. "Loneliness is the worst thing for depression and anxiety."

This critique aligns with broader concerns in Portugal about rising rates of mental health issues, particularly among adolescents and young adults. The paradox of digital connectivity breeding isolation—a theme Ionesco could scarcely have imagined—has become a defining feature of contemporary life.

In "As Cadeiras," an elderly couple lives in total seclusion on an island, preparing for a grand conference in which a professional Orator will deliver their life's message to humanity. As invisible guests "arrive," the stage fills with empty chairs—a visual metaphor for absence, the void, and the failure of language itself.

The couple, trapped in fragmented memories and delusions of grandeur, ultimately leap from a window before the message is ever heard. The Orator, it turns out, cannot speak.

What This Means for Lisbon Theatregoers

For residents and visitors navigating Portugal's cultural calendar, "As Cadeiras" offers more than just a night at the theatre. It's an opportunity to engage with a work that interrogates the social and existential conditions many are quietly grappling with—economic concerns, political complexity, and the erosion of genuine human connection.

The production also represents a rare chance to see João Mota himself on stage. The director not only conceived the staging and designed the costumes but also performs the role of the Orator in alternation with Carlos Paulo. The two lead roles—the Old Man and Old Woman—are played by Custódia Gallego and Manuel Coelho.

With a translation by Luís Lima, lighting design by Paulo Graça, and sound by Hugo Franco, the technical team aims to create an atmosphere that oscillates between the comic and the nightmarish, mirroring Ionesco's tonal ambiguity.

Performances run Wednesday and Thursday at 19:00, Friday and Saturday at 21:00, and Sunday at 16:00—a schedule designed to accommodate both working professionals and weekend audiences.

A Global Canon, A Local Lens

"As Cadeiras" has enjoyed a complicated afterlife since its initial reception. The play has seen numerous international productions in recent years, ranging from Europe to the Americas. What distinguishes Mota's version is its explicit anchoring in the sociopolitical realities of 2026—not as allegory, but as lived experience. He is less interested in formal experimentation than in using Ionesco's absurdism as a diagnostic tool for Portugal's present circumstances.

The Void on Stage, The Void in Society

At its core, "As Cadeiras" is about the nothingness that lurks beneath human striving. The empty chairs represent not just absent people, but the absence of concrete answers and material certainty—themes central to Ionesco's vision.

In Mota's reading, this void is not abstract philosophy. It is the felt reality of young people scrolling alone in their rooms, of families facing economic pressures, and of global tensions that demand responsible leadership and democratic solidarity.

The play's structure—where an anticipated revelation dissolves into silence—mirrors the challenges institutions and leaders face in offering coherent solutions to modern crises. The Orator's muteness becomes a symbol of communication breakdown and the erosion of shared discourse.

For Portuguese audiences, this resonates in a country still processing economic recovery, navigating housing challenges, and observing global developments with a commitment to democratic values and strategic partnerships.

A Call to Presence

Ultimately, Mota's "As Cadeiras" is not just a lament. By staging Ionesco's vision of existential tension, the production implicitly asks: What do we do when the chairs stay empty? When the message goes unheard?

The answer, suggested in the very act of gathering in a theatre, may lie in the refusal to retreat into isolation—in choosing presence, conversation, and shared engagement over the seductive comfort of solitary screens.

Whether Lisbon audiences will embrace this challenge, or find the play's themes too close to home, remains to be seen. But for Teatro da Comuna, now in its fifth decade of provocative theatre-making, the commitment to engagement is worth taking.