Ricci/Forte Macadamia Nut Brittle

The Rome theatrical scene is thriving and we can see this from the many companies that are crowding Italy’s theaters. Ricci e Forte are anything but a beginning company and they have been enjoying well-deserved success in recent years. Last January at the Teatro I in Milan that has been showing the best of Italian and foreign plays, they did a great job with Troia’s Discount and now they can truly aim for the world’s stages. Their “signature” is macabre and sometimes a bit perverse, it’s a language that can bridge any linguistic gap.

‘Macadamia nut brittle’ is a show that contains a clear message against unbridled consumerism through a study of people. The company’s strength lies in their ability to dissect the innermost human feelings and show them for what they are. There is absolutely no studied cuteness and this makes their work even more fascinating.

Their writing is mature and is still developing. Last season Plotos, the show directed by Massimo Popolozio won the critics’ first prize as the best play at the Venice Biennale.

Until April, the Teatro Studio in Scandicci will be showing Fuori Logos, a lively, intense review that in the past featured Motus with Too Late! and the debut of the “sixty minutes” series by the Teatro Sotterraneo; this season’s program will include the Santasangre, another interesting company from Rome.

At the end of April, the Teatro Puccini, will present the timeless Paolo Poli, with Favole; settings by the great Ligurian artist, Lele Luzzati.

The Teatro Sotterraneo is a young, very compact Florentine theater company – just 5 members! Daniele Villa is the ‘playwright’ and the other four perform on stage. Their style is informal and filled with creative ideas. They have been permanent “guests” of the Drodesera Festival for a few years, and have also entered the ‘Fies Factory one’ — a sort of production project that is turning out many interesting companies and performers. At the end of March  they will present their latest work L’origine della specie created in cooperation with the Teatro Metastasio of Prato.

The “Almarosè” company will be back from 17 to 31 March with a project by the students in the Palazzo Spinelli Masters program in Entertainment Events. The Argentine actor, Manuel Ferreira (winner of the Scenario and Hystrio awards) will be taking his shows to various locations around the city to find his audiences outside of the theater. In fact, he will present one piece for each of the city’s districts; on 31 March his show Gente come uno will be at the Teatro dell’ Affratellamento and the project will be presented at the Casa della Creatività on 17 March. This second Florence edition (Milan is now enjoying the seventh!) of Il giro della città has the company “studying” and “experiencing” the city through shows, meetings, radio programs and video documentaries.

As to dance, Luisa Cortesi will present ‘Vivido Trillo e Brillo’, produced by the Fabbrica Europa at the Cantieri Florida as well as a new production at the Teatro Magnolfi in Prato (9-10 April) in cooperation with cellist Naomi Berrill and designer Sheila Barzagli.

And keep in mind the events related to ‘Corpi da musica’, the exhibition on the work of Sylvano Bussotti, curated by Luca Scarlini, at the Museo Marino Marini. Works by the great Florentine artist will be shown in cooperation with the Compagnia Virgilio Sieni and Tempo Reale.