<p>Abu is an imaginary place in the desert, inhabited by Mica – a young girl who enjoys counting the birds that fly above her – and her grandfather, who teaches her a secret way to fly without wings. According to his magic formula, one only needs to listen to the wind while exhaling deeply. A giant slide represents a dune. Behind it is a springboard which Mica and her grandfather – played by actors – use to jump and try to take flight. Several birds and a dragonfly try too, but without success. Then, the young girl – represented by a puppet – tries again. She is swept by the wind: she jumps, sways, walks clumsily and then falls over. A dragonfly slides down a ski slope, blowing air to maintain balance while also protecting itself from the cold. Several contraptions, flying machines and planes arrive on stage; they are manipulated by actors. At the end, a mysterious character named Flyer declares that he must leave, because he may otherwise become part of the desert.</p>

Actor and puppet

Full-view manipulation

Rod puppet

Manipulated object

All audiences

Portugal

Porto

Storyboard

Landscape

Desert

Bird

Flight

Childhood

Nature

Fantasy

Comical

Philosophical tale

<p>Lições de voo (Teatro de Marionetas do Porto, 2019)</p>

Portuguese

Young girl

Grand-father

Animal

Song

Flying character

Characterisation through onomatopoeia

Narrator

Lições de voo

Flying lessons