Brazil at the Edinburgh Festivals 2025

Brazil EdinburghFestivals2025

UK/Brazil Season of Culture 2025-26

Led by the British Council and Instituto Guimarães Rosa (IGR), the UK/Brazil Season of Culture aims to promote the rich cultural heritage of both nations and foster enduring relationships among artists, cultural leaders and institutions. The activities will take place in both Brazil and the UK, reaching wide audiences and encouraging dialogue.

Instituto Guimarães Rosa (IGR)

Instituto Guimarães Rosa (IGR), part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil, is in charge of Brazilian cultural diplomacy. Its activities encompass culture, education and the Portuguese language. The IGR develops hundreds of projects worldwide in order to promote Brazilian culture and support the internationalisation of Brazilian creative industries. It also promotes the learning of Portuguese both for foreigners and as a heritage language, managing a network of cultural centres and lectorships in universities, as well as fostering international educational cooperation.

Editorial project manager

Donald Reid

Design and layout

Bradley Southam

Production & subediting Paul McLean

CEO, The List Sheri Friers

“

O for a muse of fire, that would ascend the brightest heaven of invention. A kingdom for a stage, princes to act, and monarchs to behold the swelling scene!

May we borrow a few words from the Bard, for we are about to usher our actors on stage: actors carefully selected through a public call from Institute Guimarães Rosa for Brazilian artists to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2025.

And what shall they perform? Amazons, by Gaël Le Cornec, a solo spectacle about the Amazon Forest and the many generations of Amazonian women that have fought to protect it. It is a tale about life, about our our ancestors and about the challenges facing our environment today and for future generations. As Brazil holds the 30th United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP-30) in the city of Belém do Pará in the Amazon Forest, we bring our message of environmental protection and climate justice also to the world stage.

Will there be Anthropophagi and men whose heads do grow beneath their shoulders? No, but there will be diversity. In Tom At The Farm by Michel Marc Bouchard, we tackle prejudice and homophobia; in Monga by Jéssica Teixeira, winner of the Shell Prize 2025, we discuss issues related to physical disabilities; in Puff, we bring dances of the African diaspora. There will also be activities offstage: indigenous activist Juma Xipaia will attend the Edinburgh International Book Festival as a special guest; architect Guilherme Wisnik will discuss Brazilian culture in the University of Leeds; and so will the historian-anthropologist Lilia Schwarcz in Oxford and the LSE; the Glasgow Tramway will receive the immense sculptures of Solange Pessoa, which evoke landscapes, archaeology and historical narratives from Brazil and Scotland; and the British Film Institute will hold a Brazilian film festival. We are also planning other activities in music, gastronomy, visual arts and, of course, football, in different places, all over this scepter’d isle.

This is how we celebrate the 200 years since the day in 1825 when the United Kingdom recognised the Empire of Brazil as an independent country. As we enter our third century of diplomatic relations, we can attest that Brazil and Britain are two vibrant, multi-ethnic societies with shared values on the world stage such as democracy, social inclusion and liberty of expression. We both strive to build a peaceful and sustainable future, where culture is a source of joy, diversity is prized and there is no room for prejudice or racism. So, let us summon our actors onstage, and, as we give our thanks to the Embassy of Brazil in London and the Consulate General in Edinburgh, and most especially the British Council, for their support to this Cultural Year Brazil-UK, we turn the accomplishment of these 200 years into an hourglass and your humble patience pray, gently to hear, kindly to judge, our play.

Marco Antonio Nakata

Instituto Guimarães Rosa Director

WTom At The Farm

hen sophisticated, urbane advertising executive Tom travels to a remote farm to mourn the loss of his lover, he finds himself in a brutal world where grief is masked by denial and truth is dangerous. The dead man’s mother has no idea who Tom is, or that her son was gay. His savage brother knows everything, and will do anything to bury the secret.

In the mud and blood of the farm, which provides a symbol of family, church and land, truth becomes dangerous. Patriarchy and desire collide in a tense and volatile dance between predator and prey. Seductive, volatile, intensely political, this is a cry from the margins in a world desperate to silence them.

Following a decade of sell-out tours and international acclaim, the multi award-winning Brazilian adaptation of Michel Marc Bouchard’s Tom At The Farm makes its UK debut at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2025, having played to over 150,000 people in more than 100 cities across three continents.

Tom na Fazenda is translated and reimagined by celebrated actor Armando Babaioff, who also plays the lead, working with renowned director Rodrigo Portella. This production by Cena Brasil Internacional has been described by playright Michel Marc Bouchard as ‘one of the most beautiful and powerful productions of my play. Bare stage, immense actors, violence that reaches the sublime, a unique sensuality, not to mention tenderness and beauty.’

Pleasance EICC, 30 July–24 August, 3.30pm.

Farm

Press reviews

‘Violent beauty bordering on the sublime . . . an exceptional theatrical moment’ (La Terrasse)

‘It’s rare to see a production receive a standing ovation every night and a mind-blowing performance from its actors’ (Libération)

‘A theatrical hit . . . an important play in the contemporary repertoire’ (Le Monde)

‘Sober, powerful, carnal direction. A remarkable human portrait, chilling and at the same time full of hope. Bodies slip in the mud . . . a universe both postcard-perfect and painfully real’ (L’Humanité)

Awards

Coup de Cœur Festival OFF Avignon 2022

Best Foreign Show: Quebec Theatre Critics Association

Best Show: APCA Award São Paulo

Best Actor & Director: Shell Theatre Award

Monga

Brazilian director and performer Jéssica Teixeira reexamines the story of Julia Pastrana, a 19th-century Mexican woman with a rare condition causing excessive body hair and facial deformity.

Pastrana was sold to a human zoo and exploited in freak shows under inhumane conditions, becoming known as the ‘Bear Woman’, ‘Baboon Woman’ and ‘The Ugliest Woman in the World’. Along with the body of her baby, she remained on public display for 153 years after her death.

Reimagining Pastrana’s image with her own unconventional body, Teixeira intertwines their two individual journeys. Singing, dancing and acting, she weaves a powerful solo performance, a true tour de force, confronting the audience’s gaze with rawness, vulnerability and defiance. Using humour and tenderness, Monga dismantles the myths that keep people apart.

Assembly Rooms, 19–24 August, noon. 18+.

Puff

Acclaimed Brazilian choreographer Alice Ripoll and dancer Hiltinho Fantástico debut a new show during the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, providing a rare opportunity in the UK to experience the work of two major talents in their fields. ‘Puff’ in Portuguese signifies a magical disappearance, and the show explores the concept of disguise in African diaspora dances, as silenced cultures, messages and traditions are transmitted. The rapid footwork and bodily dissociation of samba, capoeira and passinho create illusions that suggest something is being concealed.

Blending contemporary dance and Brazilian urban dances, the show draws on Fantástico’s exceptional skills as a professional passinho dancer, a style born in Rio de Janeiro’s favelas, while Ripoll gives the dancer space to transform his own experiences and memories into imagery.

Assembly Dance Base, 19–24 August, 7pm.

Amazons

From her friend’s apartment, Gayara unearths the stories of her Amazonian ancestors, from those who witnessed the arrival of the first Europeans to the women fighting to defend the forest today. An irreverent solo dramedy performed by Gaël Le Cornec, this winner of the 2025 Guimarães Rosa Institute Award interwines ancestry, identity and technology in a piece of theatre retelling 525 years of Brazilian history from the perspective of a Pará-British character.

Summerhall, 31 July–25 August, 7.50pm.

Juma

AXipaia

t 24 years old, Juma Xipaia became the first female chief of the Middle Xingu region, but after discovering government corruption in 2017, she was forced to flee Brazil. She later became the first Xipaya representative to speak at the United Nations, founding the Juma Institute, which fights for the protection of the rainforest and the autonomy of indigenous peoples.

Edinburgh International Book Festival, Edinburgh Futures Institute, 9 August, 6pm, as part of opening gala; 11 August, 12.15pm.

São Paulo

THE MEQUETREFO

In this show by Parlapatões, one of Brazil’s longestrunning theatre and circus groups, four clowns named ‘Dias’ (days) embark on a journey breaking the rules of everyday life, filling the day with laughter and surprises. Inspired by Edward Lear, the English poet and illustrator who coined the term ‘nonsense’, the show combines pantomime and clowning, delivering a performance rich in visuals and sound effects.

n Underbelly Bristo Square, 30 July–10 August, 11.20am.

HONEST FRAUD

This show explores the fine line between what is real and what merely seems to be, transforming illusion into an act of pure honesty and celebrating the paradox at its core. Fundo Falso Company (Ricardo Malerbi and Rudi Solon) present a unique game where each player expects to be deceived and finds joy in it. If you accept the challenge and embrace the deception, you’ll leave more exhilarated than when you arrived. A decision will feel entirely your own: until you realise it never was. After all, telepathy isn’t about reading minds but guiding them.

n Underbelly Bristo Square, 30 July–25 August, 4.40pm.

Showcase

WHAT’S IN THE KITCHEN

This tribute to Brazilian cuisine is a dramaturgical and gastronomic journey divided into five acts, each centred on one of the senses: smell, hearing, sight, taste and touch. The performance by La Troupe presents stories and memories from professional and amateur chefs in an immersive setting: the audience not only experience the storytelling but also have an opportunity to taste a selection of dishes and drinks enriched with touches of Brazilian cuisine.

n Assembly Rooms, 31 July–23 August, 2.10pm.

CHEESE AND GUAVA OR ROMEO AND JULIET

The Cênica company from São José do Rio Preto in the interior of São Paulo presents a piece of theatre inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo And Juliet and romanticthemed songs by the ‘king’, Roberto Carlos. Weaving between a plagiarised love story and unauthorised music, the critical, biting and tragicomic show alludes to the curious Brazilian tradition of combining cheese and guava, blending traditional British literature with the cuisine of their homeland, adding both a touch of sweetness and a hint of salt.

n Summerhall, 31 July–25 August, 10.35am.

ANOTHER SIGHT

Featuring a cast of both blind and sighted actors, and performed entirely in the dark, this play tells the story of a domestic worker and her employer. Both are undergoing cancer treatment at the same time, but are at different stages of the disease. Despite the delicate subject, the narrative unfolds with great lightness, humour and sensitivity, delving into the emotional, social and behavioural aspects of cancer. Presented by Blind Theater (Teatro Cego), the story revolves around generosity, empathy, love, fear, resilience, respect and self-esteem.

n Zoo Playground, 1–24 August, 8.45pm.

VOYEUR / SAMBA & LOVE

A double bill by Brazilian choreographer Lili de Grammont and the São José dos Campos Dance Company, these two works explore vulnerability, control, tenderness and tension, revealing the impossibility of escaping rhythm, observation or ourselves. Voyeur invites the audience into an intense and intimate space where private gestures unfold under the weight of the gaze. Samba & Love brings intensity, offering a visceral response to the exhaustion of modern life, where samba rhythms become a physical expression of fatigue, desire and resistance in a world that demands too much.

n Assembly Dance Base, 31 July–24 August, 1pm.

THE DAILY CEILIDH

An event commemorating 200 years of UK/Brazil diplomatic and cultural relations, The Daily Ceilidh starts with a colourful carnival parade from the Ross Fountain to the Ross Bandstand led by the Brazilian Piper Pipe Band from Rio de Janeiro, with Edmonton RCMP Pipe Band, dancers from the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society and percussionists from Batucada Brazil following on behind. Arriving at the bandstand, the Iain MacPhail Ceilidh Band will be ready on stage to kick off 90 minutes of Scottish and Brazilian music, dancing and culture.

The Brazilian Piper Pipe Band was founded in 1999 by Pipe Major José Paulo Pereira as a social project to train underprivileged teenagers to become responsible citizens. Their music, including Brazilian samba melodies, has been performed throughout South America.

n Ross Bandstand, Princes Street Gardens, 12–19 August, 4pm.

in Edinburgh Elsewhere

SPIRIT OF THE FAVELA Mirage Spiegeltent (Gyle Shopping Centre), 28 July–24 August, times vary. A cabaret of live music, dance and acrobatic performance celebrating the story of Brazil and its vibrant favela communities. Mirage Spiegeltent is expanding the borders of the Edinburgh Fringe by bringing it to the Gyle Shopping Centre on the western edge of Edinburgh.

BITTER BABY Le Monde, 4–25 August, 2pm. PhD student by day, sex worker by night, Bitter Baby is also improving her English and dusting her action figure collection. Based on true stories, this debut one-woman show explores a darkly comic combination of academia, immigration, autism and sex work.

HOW A RIVER IS BORN (Como Nasce Um Rio) Various locations, 16, 19 & 20 August, times vary. Part of Edinburgh International Film Festival. A short animation written and directed by Luma Flôres. Ayla wakes up in a mountainous landscape, surrounded only by vegetation and the sound of a river flowing from a forest. In a mix of fascination and curiosity, she is transported to a universe that leads her to uncover more about herself, her sexuality and her desires.

Some of the other shows and events with Brazilian connections to be found around the festivals in July and August

Exhibitions, events and performances within the Brazil/ UK Cultural Season taking place elsewhere in Scotland and the UK

Beyond

Edinburgh

PILGRIM FIELDS BY SOLANGE PESSOA

Solange Pessoa from Belo Horizonte is one of Brazil’s most renowned living sculptors. This solo exhibition at Tramway, her first major presentation at a UK institution, consists of large-scale sculptural forms made of ceramics, bronze and Hebridean wool, produced between Glasgow and Minas Gerais, Brazil. The exhibition brings together constellations of organic materials, referencing landscapes, archaeology and historical narratives of Brazil and Scotland. A series of sculptures are arranged across the vast gallery space, inspired by diverse materials and forms, including seed pods, nests, plant life, raw sheep’s wool, erratic rocks and Scottish Bronze Age standing stones. Engaging with the colonial, agricultural, archaeological and material histories that have shaped the two countries, this new body of sculptures manifests as an ecological, visceral and sometimes otherworldly landscape unfolding over the gallery floor, creating connections spanning from prehistory to the current ecological crisis. n Tramway, Glasgow, 10 May–5 October tramway.org

RUBAINE MAIA Folkestone-based Brazilian multidisciplinary artist working across performance, installation, video, writing and photography. Part of Folkestone Trienalle 2025, 19 July–19 October. creativefolkestone.org.uk

PORTOS CONECTADOS: KINO BEAT WITH CINE ESQUEMA NOVO Celebrating emerging technologies and digital culture between the connected ports of Porto Alegre and Liverpool. FACT Liverpool, 1 August 2025–28 February 2026. fact.co.uk

IBERODOCS Celebrating the cultures of Latin America, Spain and Portugal through documentary film screenings, exhibitions, workshops, live events and conversations: for the 11th edition in 2025, the connecting themes are ‘searching’ and ‘the sea’. Filmhouse Edinburgh & Glasgow Film Theatre, 10–28 September. iberodocs.org

REVEALING (IN)VISIBLE TIMES A two-person exhibition featuring Brazilian-born artist Alexandre da Cunha and Chilean artist Francisca Aninat, curated by Valentina Gajardo. Through installation, textiles and reconfigured found objects, this exhibition explores the experience of waiting, inertia and overlooked durations in the daily lives of often unseen or transient communities. Heong Gallery, Downing College, Cambridge, 11 September–19 October. dow.cam.ac.uk/creative-arts/heong-gallery

THE LAST SUPPER An intimate, immersive banquet-performance by the MEXA Collective from São Paulo inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s iconic image. Combining celebration, transmission and solidarity, MEXA makes theatre into a living ritual, in which the stage becomes a space for sharing and recollection. Part of Take Me Somewhere Festival, Tramway, Glasgow, 18 October, 7.30pm (also showing at Transform Festival, Leeds, 25 October). takemesomewhere.co.uk

Brazil’s Edinburgh Festival Shows 2025

In chronological order:

Spirit Of The Favela

Mirage Spiegeltent (Gyle Shopping Centre), 28 Jul–24 Aug (not 4, 11, 18 Aug), times vary.

The Mequetrefo Underbelly Bristo Square, 30 Jul–10 Aug, 11.20am.

Tom At The Farm Pleasance EICC, 30 Jul–24 Aug (not 6, 13, 20 Aug), 3.30pm (with English surtitles). 16+

Honest Fraud

Underbelly Bristo Square, 30 Jul–25 Aug (not 11 Aug), 4.40pm. 12+

What’s In The Kitchen

Assembly Rooms, 31 Jul–23 Aug (not 4, 11, 18 Aug), 2.10pm. 14+

Voyeur / Samba & Love

Assembly Dance Base, 31 Jul–24 Aug (not 4 & 5, 11 & 12, 18 & 19 Aug), 1pm. 16+

Amazons

Summerhall, 31 Jul–25 Aug (not 11, 18 Aug), 7.50pm. 12+

Cheese And Guava Or Romeo And Juliet Summerhall, 31 Jul–25 Aug (not 12, 19 Aug), 10.35am. 12+

Another Sight

Zoo Playground, 1–24 Aug (not 4, 11, 18 Aug), 8.45pm. 12+

Bitter Baby

Le Monde, 4–25 Aug, 2pm. 16+

Juma Xipaia

Edinburgh International Book Festival, Edinburgh Futures Institute, 9 Aug, 6pm, as part of opening gala; 11 Aug, 12.15pm.

The Daily Ceilidh Ross Bandstand, 12–19 Aug (not 17 Aug), 4pm.

How A River Is Born

Part of Animation Shorts, Edinburgh International Film Festival, 16–20 Aug, locations and times vary.

Monga

Assembly Rooms, 19–24 Aug (not 21 Aug), noon (performed in Portuguese with some English, English subtitles and BSL sign language). 18+

Puff

Assembly Dance Base, 19–24 Aug (not 21 Aug), 7pm. 12+

As part of the celebration of 200 years of diplomatic relations between Brazil and the UK, the British Council and the Instituto Guimarães Rosa (IGR) are collaborating to develop a UK/Brazil Season of Culture 2025–26.

Brazil will have a special presence at the Edinburgh Festivals in 2025, with a range of plays, performances, screenings, presentations and activities from Brazilian writers, actors, dancers, magicians, clowns, directors and musicians.

Brazil at the Edinburgh Festivals 2025 introduces you to this array of Brazilian culture and creativity with a guide to the various shows being presented in Scotland’s capital during July and August. In addition, you can find a round-up of some of the other activities within the UK/Brazil Season of Culture, taking place in Glasgow and other parts of the UK.

Supported by the Brazilian Government through the Instituto Guimarães Rosa/Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture.