Celebrating the writer’s centenary, this English-language production from Brazil bridges a century of creative struggle through a masterful meditation on art, love, and longing. Inspired by the writings of Rainer Maria Rilke, the piece connects a blocked poet from the past—who spent a year expressing himself solely through letters—with contemporary actor Ivo Müller as he uses those same words to navigate his own foreign world, delivering an electric exploration of the timeless yearning for quiet in a chaotic universe.
Would you mind giving us an insight into what your show/event/performance is?
It is a solo performance inspired by the letters of Rainer Maria Rilke, but it isn’t a biography or a literary adaptation, it’s a play. The result is a theatrical journey that blends storytelling, poetry, movement, humour and sound, to explore creativity, identity, mental health through our need for genuine human connection in times of hyperconnectivity and pressure. The show is a much-needed refuge amid the horrors of modern life.
Tell us about the creative team and the process involved?
Every artistic choice serves the story. Even the letters used on stage weren’t bought as props. They were individually recycled, painted, stained, and aged by hand. They became objects with their own history, and I can feel that energy every time I step onto the stage.
The show has been evolving for more than fifteen years, crossing languages, countries, and different stages of my own life. It was created in close collaboration with director Arieta Corrêa, who constantly challenged me to strip away anything unnecessary until we found something simple, essential, and, hopefully, powerful.
I’ve also been incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by people who’ve accompanied this journey in different ways. My partner, Domingas Person, has been a producer, costume creator, and sometimes simply the person asking the difficult questions that make the work better. Assistant director Mariana Goulart knows the piece almost as well as I do after following it lately.
Lighting designer Vania Jaconis worked on the very first version of this project, Letters to a Young Poet, back in 2010, and she’ll be joining us in Edinburgh. The original lighting design by Cesar Baptista in Brazil was later reimagined for the U.S. by Jacob Hollens. Brazilian-American sound designer John Zalewski created the immersive sound world that carries the audience through the performance, while costume designer Sophia April Grose, whom I met in Los Angeles, designed the jumpsuit I began wearing after deciding to leave behind the period costume and embrace something with pop references.
Over the past year, LA theatre veteran Darrell Larson has also been a collaborator, helping shape the English-language version that will premiere in Edinburgh.
How does it feel coming to (back to) the Fringe?
Last year I came as a producer, observing, learning, and trying to understand this incredible ecosystem. Returning now as a performer feels like completing a circle.
It’s exciting, intimidating, exhausting, and exactly the kind of challenge I want to embrace. I feel I have been preparing myself for this moment for years.
With shows from all over the world at the Fringe, what sets yours apart?
It’s original work, developed over many years rather than adapted for the festival. It’s the point of view of a Latin American artist from Brazil, performing in his second language, inspired by a poet who wrote in German but wasn’t German. What a wonderful bundle of linguistic and cultural contradictions we have here.
And honestly… how many solo shows have you seen inspired by Rilke?
More importantly, the show doesn’t assume you know anything about this poet. It’s really about the questions his writing raises—questions that still feel incredibly contemporary.
On that, is there anything in the production or production team’s backgrounds which influences the way the show is performed or told?
Absolutely. The piece is deeply shaped by my experience as a Brazilian artist working internationally. And the show is part of the São Paulo Showcase, with 7 other shows picked to represent the country.
Brazilian theatre often embraces intimacy, physical storytelling, and a direct relationship with the audience. Bringing that perspective into an English-language production has created something that feels both personal and culturally specific, while still speaking to universal experiences.
Is there anything specific you’re hoping the audience will take away?
I encourage them not to try to understand everything that is said. Instead, to take a deep breath and let the words flow into their soul. And if some parts of the show bring them memories or if they zone out, that’s great. I want them to “travel” and come back.
Hang in with Rilke/Ivo because, you never know, maybe one of these letters was written to them.
Your Ideal audience is in attendance, who’s watching? Or more importantly – who isn’t…?
Anyone who has loved, lost, failed, started over, or questioned whether what they do matters.
Anyone who’s moved to a new place and wondered where they belong.
The wonderful thing is that the audience keeps surprising me. People come expecting a show about poetry and leave talking about completely different parts of their own lives.
It’s an intense month, so where you’re able, how do you plan to relax, and are there any other shows you intend to see or want to recommend?
Walking is probably my favourite way to reset. Edinburgh is one of those cities where simply wandering can become part of the creative process. I also hope to hike up Arthur’s Seat, explore the city’s local cafés and restaurants, and spend some time at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.
I recommend all the productions from the São Paulo Showcase. It’s exciting to see such a diverse group of Brazilian artists sharing their work with international audiences. And I’m excited to catch Wagner Moura’s show. He is such an important artist to Brazil, a reference for many of us, it is special to be at the festival at the same time as his show is performing there.
One Million Words will run at Venue 23, Jack Dome at Pleasance Dome
Runs: August 5th – August 31st at 12.00pm
Photo credit – Carol Gherardi
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