Maldita Felicidade

In a modestly furnished Lisbon drawing‑room, the restless Pinto Gallo celebrates a newly secured royal appointment, a triumph he keeps secret from his wife Engracia. When his servant José delivers a letter from the influential D. Alexandre Nobre, the news of the promotion and an odd mention of “two daughters”—Victoria and Glória—sparks both pride and anxiety. Engracia, left alone with the letter, interprets the cryptic wording as a betrayal, fearing her husband has taken a lover named Felicidade.

Their sons, Fernando and Carlos, soon arrive, eager to discuss their own romantic plans. The family’s conversation quickly spirals into a bewildering mix‑up of names, titles, and imagined engagements, exposing the fragile egos and petty ambitions that drive them. With rapid dialogue and sharp humor, the play captures a slice of early‑twentieth‑century domestic life, where a single misread phrase threatens to unravel a household’s fragile sense of order.