Cícero and his mother are the first artists to appear on stage at the Colosseum’s Christmas circus in Porto. They introduce the circus act of the cube, a unique dance between a Polish artist and a geometric solid over two meters tall, manipulated with such skill that it seems like an extension of the dancer’s body.
Cícero, portrayed by actor Emílio Gomes, and his mother, played by actress Diana Sá, return to the stage to announce each new circus act. Following the dancing cube, magical clowns attempt to learn how to make a telephone call using an antique phone that lacks buttons and a screen.
In an interview, Marta Pais Oliveira, the author of the original story created especially for the Colosseum’s 2025 Christmas Circus, explains that children and families attending the circus will experience “extraordinary acts by great artists,” including contortionism, Russian bar, aerial spiral, cloud swing, fabrics, combined forces, Cyr wheel, as well as cube manipulation and “magical clowns.”
“We’ll see the story of Cícero, a mythical circus presenter on a journey of discovery to learn how to present the circus. He is guided and encouraged by his mother, who helps him transform his fears and distractions into courage as he pursues his dream and passion of becoming a circus artist,” says Marta Pais Oliveira.
This circus show will feature acts from artists around the world—including Argentina, Poland, Belgium, England, Germany, and Mongolia—who blend traditional circus elements with contemporary flair, according to the press dossier.
The entire show features original music composed by guitarist and composer Bruno Pernadas, who tells that he crafted music tailored to each circus act.
“There is specific creation for each act, but I also thought about the whole. There are many themes orchestrated in a more traditional composition sense, others are more fun, and some are closer to classical music. I was careful to ensure different styles while respecting the dynamics of each act,” he said, noting the inclusion of classical, contemporary, fast afrobeat rhythms, and “much sound production” with xylophones, marimbas, vibraphones, and very few voices.
Miguel Guedes, president and artistic director of Porto’s Colosseum, highlights the “miracle” achieved 84 years ago of creating a self-produced and unique circus each year, “by the hands of the Colosseum’s production,” passing through generations.
“The secret is always finding a way to tell another story. A circus story, because they are circus acts, many traditional, but we’ve wanted to integrate, in recent years, with a story, to have literature, with theater, for diversity, and then bring original music, in this case by Bruno Pernadas.”
The Ageas Colosseum’s Christmas circus in Porto has been held since 1941, debuting this year on December 12, running through January 4 with multiple sessions and various schedules.
Tickets are available from today at the Colosseum and other usual outlets, priced between 10 and 20 euros.
Children up to three years old receive a 75% discount, while those up to 12 years old receive a 50% discount.
