Among all the possible destinations of a hypothetical journey in time and space, the protagonist of PARADOX HOTEL chooses to make an almost domestic leap: to return to the summer of 2009 in Lisbon. There are conflicts in the Gaza Strip and nuclear tests in Korea. An Air France plane mysteriously disappears over the Atlantic Ocean. The Planck observatory is launched into orbit, with the mission of investigating the traces of cosmic radiation emitted by the birth of the Universe. And on the day of one of the greatest total eclipses of the 21st century, two strangers meet by chance and spend the night together in a hotel. They leave at dawn never to meet again. A journey on an intimate scale, with short detours along beaches overlooking the Big Bang and rocky retreats in a lifeless distant future.
PARADOX HOTEL is a project currently in development, set to premiere in November 2025.
text and direction Alex Cassal with Marco Mendonça soundtrack and original songs Felipe Rocha (BR) sound design Suse Ribeiro project support Paulo Pereira (Oporto Planetarium/IA) immersive video Filipe Pires (Oporto Planetarium/IA) costumes Miss Suzie lighting consultant Tomás Ribas dramaturgical support Joana Frazão artistic collaboration Paula Diogo scientific consultant João J. G. Lima (IA/FCUP) photo Má-Criação and Renato Cruz Santos management Paula Diogo and Daniela Ribeiro executive production Má-Criação and Ricardo Arenga production Má-Criação coproduction Culturgest, Oporto Planetarium – Centro Ciência Viva / Oporto University and Festival Temps d’Images support mala voadora, Observatório Astronómico de Lisboa – MNHNC da U. Lisboa and Escola do Largo residencies CAMPUS Paulo Cunha e Silva, O Espaço do Tempo, CEA/Moita, Biblioteca de Alcântara – José Dias Coelho e Amarelo Silvestre
project financed by República Portuguesa – Cultura, Juventude e Desporto / Direção Geral das Artes e Fundo Cultural – GDA
OPENING
Planetário do Porto, Oporto PT, November 2025
TOUR
Planetário de Marinha, Lisbon PT, May 2026