Teatro di narrazione
Encyclopedia
Teatro di narrazione is a style of theatre, developed in Italy in the later decades of the 20th century, in which there are no actors or action, but only a "narrattore" (a neologism for narrator-actor, or "narractor") who tells the story in narrative form.
During the show, the narrattore often sits on a chair without moving. There are no props or costumes, nor any lights beyond those necessary to let the audience see the narratore: sometimes the theatre itself is lit so that the narrattore can see the faces of the audience to address them directly.
The genre generally said to have begun with Mistero Buffo (Comic Mystery) by Dario Fo
in 1969, though Fo has traditionally used mime to physicalize the actions and the entire cast of characters when performing in this style. This influenced two generations of narrattori, notably Marco Paolini, Marco Baliani and Laura Curino; and later Ascanio Celestini and Davide Enia.
Although Mistero Buffo reworked medieval stories, the teatro di narrazione has a particular focus on investigating the "dark holes" of Italian modern history. Corpo di stato by Baliani concerns the murder of Aldo Moro
by the Red Brigades
in 1978; Curino's Olivetti concerns Camillo and Adriano Olivetti
, founders of the Olivetti
business empire; Paolini's Il racconto del Vajont the tragedy
of the Vajont Dam
disaster; Enia's Maggio '43 the Allied
bombing of Palermo
during the Allied invasion of Sicily
in World War II
; and Celestini's Radio Clandestina and Scemo di guerra the Nazi
-Fascist
occupation of Rome and its subsequent American
liberation.
During the show, the narrattore often sits on a chair without moving. There are no props or costumes, nor any lights beyond those necessary to let the audience see the narratore: sometimes the theatre itself is lit so that the narrattore can see the faces of the audience to address them directly.
The genre generally said to have begun with Mistero Buffo (Comic Mystery) by Dario Fo
Dario Fo
Dario Fo is an Italian satirist, playwright, theater director, actor and composer. His dramatic work employs comedic methods of the ancient Italian commedia dell'arte, a theatrical style popular with the working classes. He currently owns and operates a theatre company with his wife, actress...
in 1969, though Fo has traditionally used mime to physicalize the actions and the entire cast of characters when performing in this style. This influenced two generations of narrattori, notably Marco Paolini, Marco Baliani and Laura Curino; and later Ascanio Celestini and Davide Enia.
Although Mistero Buffo reworked medieval stories, the teatro di narrazione has a particular focus on investigating the "dark holes" of Italian modern history. Corpo di stato by Baliani concerns the murder of Aldo Moro
Aldo Moro
Aldo Moro was an Italian politician and the 39th Prime Minister of Italy, from 1963 to 1968, and then from 1974 to 1976. He was one of Italy's longest-serving post-war Prime Ministers, holding power for a combined total of more than six years....
by the Red Brigades
Red Brigades
The Red Brigades was a Marxist-Leninist terrorist organisation, based in Italy, which was responsible for numerous violent incidents, assassinations, and robberies during the so-called "Years of Lead"...
in 1978; Curino's Olivetti concerns Camillo and Adriano Olivetti
Adriano Olivetti
Adriano Olivetti was an Italian entrepreneur, the son of the founder of Olivetti, Camillo Olivetti....
, founders of the Olivetti
Olivetti
Olivetti S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of computers, printers and other business machines.- Founding :The company was founded as a typewriter manufacturer in 1908 in Ivrea, near Turin, by Camillo Olivetti. The firm was mainly developed by his son Adriano Olivetti...
business empire; Paolini's Il racconto del Vajont the tragedy
Tragedy (event)
A tragedy is an event in which one or more losses, usually of human life, occurs that is viewed as mournful. Such an event is said to be tragic....
of the Vajont Dam
Vajont Dam
The Vajont Dam is a disused dam, completed in 1959 in the valley of the Vajont river under Monte Toc, 100 km north of Venice, Italy...
disaster; Enia's Maggio '43 the Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
bombing of Palermo
Palermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
during the Allied invasion of Sicily
Allied invasion of Sicily
The Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
; and Celestini's Radio Clandestina and Scemo di guerra the Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
-Fascist
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
occupation of Rome and its subsequent American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
liberation.