Luis Vicente
Artistic and Production Director / Actor and Stage Director

ACTA - Luis Vicente

Studied Mechanical Engineering and Psychology.
Studied Drama, funded by the Gulbenkian Foundation.
Trained with Catherine Dasté.
Collaborated with several institutions in training in Interpretation, Theatrical Production and Management, in particular with UNESCO.
Taught in private and in public education.
Worked as an executive producer of the Festival of Almada.
Worked as a casting director, project director and production coordinator on numerous advertising works, institutional films and feature films, nationally and internationally.
In theatre he has participated in over 60 productions of great authors, as a performer, a director or a producer.
Worked in numerous roles in theatre, cinema and television in Spain, France, Poland, Angola, Belgium, Germany and Luxembourg.
Took part in several radio and television works, theatre, soap operas, TV series.
Was distinguished and awarded various times and under different pretexts, in Portugal and abroad.
Critics regard him as one of the most prestigious contemporary Portuguese actors.
He’s the artistic director of ACTA - The Theatre Company of the Algarve.

Reviews

Palatravi Malac Mic

‘A modern and poetic language that has as interpreters two excellent actors: Luís Vicente and René Barbosa.’
Carlos Ferreira, Magazine do Algarve, 06/98

‘We can state, in consciousness, that rarely have we been given the chance to see professionals like these.’
Algarve 123, 19/09/98

As Tranquilas Aventuras do Diálogo

‘(…) in face of this type of show, we have to refer to the excellent work of the players, mainly the duo Pedro Guerreiro Ramos/Luís Vicente. A Borges and a Pessoa extremely believable.”
Ana M. Ribeiro, Correio da Manhã, 26/06/00

Não Está! ou a Saga do Director Geral

‘The interpreters of this play – Pedro Ramos, Luís Vicente, Elisabete Martins and Antony Barbosa – manifest remarkable competence and talent. […] Not to be missed.’
Algarve Hoje, 04/11/99

Calígula

‘Luís Vicente’s work as Caligula is too convincing in its madness populated by strong moments of clarity that are capable of causing anguish to the spectator.’
Cristina Pinto, Barlavento, 22/11/01

‘The work of Luís Vicente as an actor in this play would be enough to justify this show, in the way its strength and sensitivity seemed entirely convincing to us.’
Carlos Porto, Jornal de Letras, 12/12/01

‘(…) His impeccable technique of speech, allows the spectator to ear even the gasps of anger or the shouts of fear, facilitates the understanding of a complex text, and binds the spectator.’
Conceição Branco, Magazine do Algarve, 12/01

‘Once again, ACTA’s director exceeded all expectations, together with over 10 actors on stage, with emphasis on Glória Fernandes that plays Cesónia in a very correct way.’
Isabel Coelho, Noticias do Algarve, 29/01/02

‘(...) my pleasure for the strong performance that Luís Vicente had as Calígula, the central character of the play by Albert Camus. (…) A final word for a great gentleman of the theatre we are lucky to have among us in the Algarve. His role adapts in order for him to shine, but also to overact. But a good actor is he who, as Luís, knows how to contain himself when the easier road would be of uncontrolled overacting and easy spotlight. Inside the grand violence I guess in that role, the actor knows where to contain himself without falling into easy laughter.’
João Prudêncio, Jornal do Algarve, 07/02/02

Oé, Oé, Oé!

‘A pleasure to seei that Luís Vicente is able to keep in shape, expressing himself in adequately frenetic movements, in a role very distant from those he usually likes to play, offering us a vigorous interpretation, filled with expression, in an excellent caricature (...)’
E.G., Jornal do Algarve, 15/04/04

A Solidão da Casa do Regalo

‘The show features the excellent performances by Luís Vicente (as Alfonzo VI) and João Rocha (as the Page). The first gives us an excellent stage work, playing a character who’s rich in physical and psychological contrasts. He amused, shocked and touched the audience, without tiring it, given that the character in question is somewhat constant. A great performance.’
Patricia Amaral, Postal do Algarve, 22/01/04

Othello

‘Just for the interpretation by Luís Vicente, Othello is a work that deserves to be seen.’
Ana Oliveira, Jornal do Algarve, 01/12/05

‘The stage work of Luís Vicente, ACTA’s director, who played this same role in 1993, skilfully expresses to the audience an ambiguous empathy with the character, exposing his arguments with such a finesse that would entitle him to be cunning and defamatory.’
Marina da Silva, Le Monde Diplomatique, 01/06

‘Luís Vicente created a rude, petty, truly puppet master Iago, obsessed with revenge on general Othello.’
Helena Simões, Jornal de Letras, 15/02/06

O Presidente

‘Luis Vicente is irreprehensible as the president.’
João Carneiro, Actual – Expresso, 06/12/08

‘Luís Vicente, excellent, stands out by far in the understanding of satire and double meanings.’
Rosário Anselmo, Visão – Sete, 04/12/08

‘The President, played by Luís Vicente, accustomed to terrorist acts, strolls in charming destinations preferred by European rulers of the first half of the 20th century, taking his official lover to enjoy the wonders of the Atlantic in Estoril. (…) A great exercise of staging by Joaquim Benite, that was able to articulate the potential of a daring text with the exceptional capabilities of Teresa Gafeira and Luís Vicente.’
Ana Oliveira, Jornal do Algarve, 22/01/09

A Tempestade

‘An ambiguous main character, which is between the furore of revenge and the grandeur of pardon, a noble slave owner, whose character in this staging is consequently contradictory. Luís Vicente embodies it, with such Pathos and pose, which is unusual to see in German stages since Gustav Gründgens – but not less impressive.’
Dieter Lintz, Trierischer Volksfreund, 14/02/11

‘It was surprising to see the expressive easiness and presence with what the Portuguese actors simply took the spotlight from their German colleagues.’
Metallkopf, 14/02/11

‘Luís Vicente shines in the leading role and his strict hard look, but also patriarchal, is portentous.’
José Luis Correia, Contacto, 23/02/11

O Primeiro

‘Luís Vicente is hilarious with his dandy character.’
Ana Cristina Oliveira, Jornal do Algarve, 21/04/11