A work from the last phase of Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro’s life, A Paródia – like all his other publications – is a fundamental document for understanding the art of theatre in the Lisbon society of his time. This study focuses on the periodical’s relationship with the theatre, first examining (after addressing issues relating to the author and the characteristics of the work) how the theatre ‘intrudes’ into the periodical’s structure, and then proceeding to analyse how A Paródia ‘saw’ theatrical activity. To this end, the actors were listed and then, along with the theatres and shows, the conventions, codes, rituals, government measures – in short, everything that regulates theatrical activity within a given community – were mentioned.

For the caricaturist, theatricality is a precious tool for perceiving political and social reality, which is why one of the striking features of Bordal’s artistic production is the implicit staging of his caricatures. Therefore, the other aspect that the study focuses on is the theatricality of the gaze in A Paródia.

The work also includes two indexes: an onomastic index of theatre professionals and an index of plays/shows.