Boa Noite Cinderela (Good Night, Cinderella) is the Brazilian nickname for knockout drops that are slipped unnoticed into people's drinks so that they can then be sexually abused without defences, among other things.

After the rape and death of the Italian artist Pippa Bacca, a story that reminds Carolina Bianchi of her own, the Brazilian director researched and compiled a large number of reports of rape followed by feminicide. The result is a multi-layered collage that is interwoven in a way that defies harmony. Consisting of stories, images and figures from art history, it reveals the complexity of dealing with these cruel experiences, blurring memories and visualising the trauma of deep-seated wounds that constantly produce new information.

Together with the Cara de Cavalo collective, the director and eight performers create a journey into the abyss, a hole in the middle of the desert, a fall into a glass of Goodnight Cinderella.

We find ourselves in a space where the present collides with the past without warning. The performance makes references to literature and art history and combines musical mash-ups and dreamscapes, scenes of violence and rebellious dance. It becomes an attempt to trace an enigma that is difficult to describe, an incomplete memory.

What separates sleep from death? 

What happens when someone survives?

In its vulnerability and enormous power, the theatre piece is a radical reflection on violence against women, art and death: a courageous descent into the underworld.

The internationally acclaimed production is finally coming to Zurich. A city that is hit right in the heart by the subject matter.

The production premiered at the Festival d'Avignon on 6 July 2023.

Information on language

Brazilian Portuguese (spoken) with English and German surtitles

Information on accessibility

• Age recommendation: The performance is recommended for those aged 18 and over.

• Content Notes: This performance deals explicitly with the topics of rape, forced drug use and feminicide. It contains explicit descriptions and depictions of sexualised violence and murder. Individual scenes from this show can be distressing and triggering for some people.

• Information on sensory stimuli: There are passages with strobe lighting, loud music and smoke, and the noticeable scent of alcohol.