As part of Yellow September programming—the global month for suicide awareness and prevention—the production DESCONEXÃO returns with two extra shows on September 5 and 12. The work investigates how mental illnesses including depression, anxiety and burnout have pervaded Brazilian daily life, while exploring through poetry possible paths toward less suffering. Following an August run at Centro Cultural Olido, the production schedules two further dates to sustain conversations on mental health throughout Yellow September. According to the World Health Organization, Brazil ranks 2nd globally for anxiety disorder prevalence, affecting over 16 million people. The Ministry of Health notes the country also carries the highest rate of depression in Latin America, touching 11 million individuals. These figures informed research by Cia. Lágrima de Teatro, creators of DESCONEXÃO, into contemporary mental illness. Admission is free. DESCONEXÃO unfolds within the mind of a person experiencing depression's characteristic decline. Playwright Dan Elias, who also performs in the piece, drew inspiration from Sarah Kane's 4:48 Psychosis and philosopher Byung Chul-Han's The Tired Society. "We focus on Millennial and Gen Z audiences, who encounter anxiety in an intense and specific way," Elias explains. "These additional performances during Yellow September matter because the work aims to raise awareness about the necessity of caring for our mental health," he adds. A single character performed by three actors on stage in fragmented form, DESCONEXÃO chronicles generations struggling with illness as they attempt recovery amid routine's demands. Contemporary malaise driven by social and labor pressures forms the work's core theme. Staging human difficulty in processing feelings such as anguish, sadness, fear and euphoria, the piece underscores how therapy and similar tools address a system normalizing collective exhaustion while placing blame on individuals. Live original music accompanies each performance. The production reflects on how the mental health crisis connects to digital hyperconnection and employment precarity, creating widespread workplace instability, emotional disconnection and isolation. Synopsis DESCONEXÃO follows a fragmented person in three, guiding audiences through rooms of her mind while seeking a path back to reality. She encounters memories, wounds and emerging thoughts—and must choose between maintaining her current perspective or transforming how she engages with life. DETAILS DESCONEXÃO When: Saturdays, September 5 and 12 Time: 19h Venue: Centro Cultural Olido (Sala Paissandú) Address: Av. São João, 473, Centro Histórico de São Paulo (SP) - near São Bento and Anhangabaú metro stations. Admission: Free - tickets available at the box office 1h before each performance.
