After 26 years, Brazilian puppet theater company Cia PeQuod brings desire, dance and philosophy together in a daring new show opening April 9 in Rio de Janeiro.
Cia PeQuod – Teatro de Animação marks 26 years of uninterrupted work with its most radical production to date. “O Desejo” (The Desire), directed by Miguel Vellinho, premieres on April 9 at 8:30 PM at the mezzanine of Sesc Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro. Unlike all previous productions — which were rooted in adapted literary texts — this new work has no conventional dramaturgy. In its place: bodies, puppets, and movement.
“When speaking about desire from a psychoanalytic or philosophical perspective, we have more questions than answers,” says director Miguel Vellinho. A key reference in the research process was “The Agony of Eros” by Korean philosopher Byung-Chul Han. The only spoken word in the show is a poem read in voice-over by actress and singer Simone Mazzer.
Three Scenes, Two Acts
The show unfolds in three scenes. The first, “SBFN2025”, created and directed by Vellinho, stages an unprecedented encounter between two iconic PeQuod characters: the vampire from “Sangue Bom” (1999) and Verônica De Vitta from “Filme Noir” — the very show that inaugurated the Sesc Copacabana mezzanine back in 2004.
The second scene draws inspiration from the ballet “L’après-midi d’un faune” by Vaslav Nijinsky (1890–1950), which caused a sensation at its 1912 premiere. Two puppets — the Faun and the Nymph — explore seduction and innocent longing through dance. The scene is directed by Bruno Cezario, who has a profound personal connection to the work: he danced the role of the Faun three times throughout his career, the first at age 16 at Rio’s Theatro Municipal, under the watchful eye of Tatiana Leskova.
“Tatiana granted me an official document stating that I am qualified to remount future seasons of L’après-midi d’un faune, based on my experience and, according to her, my complete understanding of the work. I felt deeply honored. Miguel Vellinho himself saw me in that centenary version.” — Bruno Cezario
The third and final scene — which shares the show’s title — is the most experimental. The puppet-actor performers move freely without puppets, while other elements evoke animation theater in an investigation of hybrid theatrical languages. Direction is shared between Miguel Vellinho and Bruno Cezario.
Cast and Creative Team
Bruno Cezario makes his debut as a puppet-actor with PeQuod, joining a cast that includes Caio Cesar Passos, Diego Diener, Liliane Xavier, Márcio Nascimento, and Mariana Fausto. Cezario has been a collaborator since 2014, working across choreography, costume design, and musical direction. The original score is by Federico Puppi, alongside music by Mica Levi and Claude Debussy.
Actress and producer Liliane Xavier notes that the show represents a genuine expansion in the company’s artistic language. The project began in 2024 with support from the Rumos Itaú Cultural grant. “There is a commitment that constantly challenges us. And working collectively demands generosity — understanding the thinking of the whole group,” she reflects.
“O Desejo” is produced through the Sesc RJ Pulsar 2025/2026 Cultural Grant. The season runs Thursday through Sunday at 8:30 PM through May 3, 2026. An audio-described session takes place on April 24. There will be no performance on May 2. An extra session is scheduled for April 22 at 8:30 PM.
Event Info
- Show: O Desejo — Cia PeQuod – Teatro de Animação
- Opening night: April 9, 2026, at 8:30 PM
- Season: Thursday through Sunday, 8:30 PM, through May 3, 2026
- Audio-described session: April 24
- Extra session: April 22, 8:30 PM
- No performance: May 2
- Running time: 60 minutes
- Venue: Sesc Copacabana Mezzanine — Rua Domingos Ferreira, 160, Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro
- Phone: +55 (21) 3180-5226
- Tickets: BRL 10 (Sesc member) | BRL 15 (half-price) | BRL 30 (full price)
- Box office: Tuesday–Friday, 9 AM–8 PM | Saturdays, Sundays & holidays, 2 PM–8 PM
- Age rating: 18+
