Since January 2025, Marionet has been a partner in the OneAquaHealth project, contributing to community engagement, science communication, and public reflection on the project’s research activities. From the outset, the team has closely followed the scientific development and begun engaging with communities living near urban rivers, conducting interviews to understand how people relate to these ecosystems.

Drawing on these insights and the project’s scientific findings, Marionet is developing the theatre production Play for Rivers (Peça para Rios), scheduled to premiere in May 2026. This artistic intervention invites audiences to reconnect with urban streams and recognise their ecological, cultural, and social significance. The performance traces how waterways have evolved over time, the services they provide, and the interdependence between ecosystem health and human wellbeing. By situating the play directly within an urban river environment, the production aims to create a space for shared reflection on the relationship between human health and aquatic ecosystems.

Play for Rivers will be performed outdoors along the Madrigueira urban stream in Coimbra. Audiences will encounter a fictional narrative that weaves together themes of ecosystem dynamics, biodiversity, ecological status, cultural heritage, historical relevance, and the role of rivers in shaping the future of cities and community wellbeing. Experiencing the performance in the natural setting of the stream is expected to deepen awareness and foster meaningful engagement with the subject matter.