Loulé enjoyed a fun-filled night recently to celebrate its role as one of the ‘Host Cities of Euro 2004’. Around 10,000 people gathered in the city’s Largo do Tribunal to watch ‘The Tower of Light’ show, performed by English theatre company, Walk the Plank.
The magic of fire was the dominating theme of this theatrical production. For half an hour, ‘The Tower of Light’ told the story of the lighthouse, from the time when the first lights were basically campfires lit in high places, through to the electrification of the lamps and the latest technological developments. Despite the simplicity of the scenery, which was essentially an 18 metres high steel tower, the mixture of music and special effects, fire and pyrotechnics, and the humour and originality of the three actors, created a very special environment on this warm summer’s night.
According to Joaquim Guerreiro, organiser of the celebration, “the large audience hugely exceeded expectations”. Guerreiro was particularly pleased because the show was not only seen by locals – a large number of tourists also enjoyed the event. As ‘The Tower of Light’ was conceived to be performed in city squares or parks, the Largo do Tribunal was a good choice, explained Guerreiro: “This is an excellent area with excellent facilities, but it is not used to its full potential”.
