Rafael’s first professional experience in theatre was in 2016, as an actor. Later, in 2017, he directed his first play AMANHÃ, presented at Teatro Lethes. He studied Performance Design and Practice at UAL – Central Saint Martins, in London. In 2022, he completed an internship with the immersive theatre company Punchdrunk.

Rafael’s artistic practice draws from research in Philosophy, Sociology and History. He utilises design as a tool to confront the viewer with themes of social domination, oppression, and struggle - these form the basis from where he develops a reciprocal dialogue with the audience.

As a creative individual who has always been passionate about acting and directing and who is constantly learning and acquiring new tools, Rafael has expanded his interests in various fields of the arts, such as multimedia, live performance, and scenography. His recent work includes set design for À Deriva (2022), by ACTA, and for OLEANNA (2026), for which he also served as assistant director; light design for Sara Sara (2021), by Plutão de Verão, Teorema 3D (2022) and for I.G.A.N at FUGA 2023 – Theatre Festival (Slovenia); and the short film A Request for Citizenship. He works with digital platforms such as SketchUp and V-ray.