‘The lens, the filter, is the Culture of Cancellation. Hip hop from the 1990s, Brazilian soap operas from the 2000s and Woody Allen's films are some of the works from which we will start to formulate the questions: what is the culture of cancellation, where does it come from and where is its limit? How can we interact with works of art by artists who have committed moral lapses? Should we boycott art when we disagree with it politically? And how can comedy and humour take a stand in defence of freedom of expression?’ says the synopsis.

‘I really wanted to do a show about the culture of cancellation because I thought it was a controversial topic,’ Catarina told Agenda Porto. When the actress invited the team to work with her on this artistic project, one of the 18 selected for the 2024/2025 Artist Residency programme at CAMPUS Paulo Cunha e Silva, this was the central theme. But throughout the process, she realised that ‘if she did a show just about that, it would be very moralistic’. ‘It was impossible not to show a position, because it's a very politicised topic.’

‘I was afraid, because we also talk a lot about the difference between making an aesthetic judgement or a moral judgement about a work of art; that is, if you see a film by an artist and you know his life, what influence does it have [on your appreciation of the work knowing that] the artist has committed moral failings? Does that interfere with the way you interact with his work? That's the question that comes before ‘should I cancel this artist? should I cancel this work?’,’ says the actress from Porto, born in the 90s.

In the meantime, Catarina reflected on the works and content she consumed while growing up, which had moulded her, and concluded that they were, in some way, biographical. ‘If the artists you admire are the artists who are most involved in what they're doing with their biography, then maybe you're going to have to give a bit more of yourself,’ I thought to myself. That's how she got into Brazilian soap operas. ‘It's a popular thing, everyone knows what it is; and, directly or indirectly, it marked the lives of those who grew up in the 90s; it was something that had a lot of influence on my life, and it's also highly cancellable content,’ she stresses.

Catarina guarantees that the exercise in Solilóquio do Caos is ‘not to do a very popular show, which is just a comedy, with no depth at all; not to do a show that is just about me, my ego and my story, because that's of no interest; and not to do a very political, hands-in-the-air, pamphleteering show’.

‘I think it's going to be a very funny show, but there will be moments when that laughter is interrupted by something very strong, by embarrassment... People laugh, laugh, laugh and then wow, I didn't see that one coming!’ she anticipates.