forecast for a new theater: when the text comes on the scene.
Interview with Marisa Villa
Maddalena Giovannelli
Renato Palazzi, at twenty-five years of the supplement
Sunday's Il Sole 24 ore "(November 30, 2008), noted
as the theater of the last quarter century has seen the emergence,
in place of a few personalities and leading production companies, a
variety of proposals that in many cases can actually
to affect. Not only that: there was, according to Palacios, a real
generational change, "whereby training young or
young trouble-free access to major flaps
national. "
If this is true, the School of Drama Paolo Grassi
hit the mark by presenting the early summer of 2008, forecast.
Young proposals for the stage in Milan with the contribution of
the culture of the City of Milan. The project defines
"observatory plays on the fantasies of the last generation "and is
was developed with the aim of creating opportunities for the development
new artistic proposals and contribute to a" qualification "
of generational change.
The school issued an invitation for submission of texts
theater complete with expiration at the end of June 2008. A few constraints:
that in the group were present alumni of the school, that
projects were behind a company that can take over
of administrative duties and taxes, which the show is not
had already been presented in Milan.
Among the 18 proposals received, six were selected: the
winners, more than a thousand euro as a contribution towards the cost of
production, the possibility of being hosted by a major
theaters innovation in Milan. They then joined the initiative:
Hall Fountain Theatre, Teatro Litta Teatro Verdi, Teatro
Banister, CRT Teatro dell'Arte, TeatroLaCucina (ex Paolo Pini).
was then created a committee responsible for the selection of
participants, which included commission - without the
artistic direction of Paul Grassi influisse directly - a
representative of the City of Milan and one for each theater.
We see at a glance projects selected. In the Ameleto Porselli, text and
directed by Richard Day, Prince of Denmark agonizes over
issues of succession about a pig farm. The
Martyrdom Brothers, directed by Fulvio Vanacore for a text of Gianluca
De Col, tells of a passionate caregiver Ukrainian yellow
becomes investigator. Saturday Night (from the province with love) is a
"Journey to the End of the Night," an evening like many others,
told from the text and directed by Paul Faron. Toys - directed and
drama by Marco Di Stefano, choreographed by Francesca
Romano - is a study of dance-drama about schizophrenia and
obsessions of contemporary society, while PACS
Giulia Donelli, directed by Laura Casati, four friends are waiting for the
end of an interminable wedding banquet in a progressive and
exhausting run out of phrases for the occasion. The door opened.
Small family tragedy is instead the result of a writing stage of
group from Bouchard's The Orphan Muses.
The 'red thread' running through this program of new proposals
are manifold. First and most obviously the use of dramaturgy
original: only two cases, in fact, makes explicit reference to
a text already known, which is still just a point of
starting to readjust and flip, the other four cases
drama is totally unprecedented. Well worth a careful reading
the technical details of the shows: the distribution of
skills is fluid and shows flexibility and ability to
interaction. Not infrequently the same name appears in various ways
or is difficult to trace to a single signature or to an individual creator of
project: the work appear more as the result of the commitment
a team where everyone offers their
experience .
few examples. Saturday Night is an excerpt from a text by Paul Faroni;
Faroni the same signature, Massimo Canepa, directing and dramaturgy;
for drama shows a third name, Roberto
Laurier, who returns, still together to Faron, a cast of actors.
The author of PACS Giulia Donelli, but the idea is to
Laura Casati, also director, and Alexander Mercury,
appears as an actor . In Toys you have the presence of a
choreographer Francesca Romano, and a director-playwright,
Marco Di Stefano . "Francesca and I have started working
together since Paolo Grassi and now we have a collaboration
stable, "says Mark. "Toys For we started from an idea: we
interested in talking about love in contemporary society, of
as being misunderstood or commodified. At that point I started
to create a drama that involved three dancers and
an actor on the basis of those indications, Francesca has developed
point the choreography. But it is clear that my work is writing
been influenced by her, as I wrote, he sent her way via
text, and adjusted in accordance with his suggestions. Even
overall direction of work I have developed ideas for Francesca,
as well as in developing her choreography has taken into account
mine. "
Possibly the most significant collaboration, exchange of
skills, flexibility of roles and the open door, writing in scenic
ten hands. "We started from the text Bouchard," says
Carmen Giordano, who was responsible for editing and direction, "But
we imagined the characters twenty years before the time
narrated from the original. Based on this we have worked
long on improvisation: I gave, so to speak, of the tasks
scene by scene, ask the actors to improvise from time to
time on a particular aspect of the text that he had struck and then
only at a later time, I worked on the assembly. At
first went on stage the same people who had worked on the
writing: but then, in view of forecast, we took a step
back and decided to leave room for the actors who worked
'virgin' on the text. Inevitably, the writing has been influenced
by new arrivals: so we got to the final text.
Forecast has been promoted by the "Special Projects" of
School: Under the supervision of Mimma Gallina, Marisa Villa - a
turn former students in the organization - was responsible
initiative.
A Call for Young Artists "... How did the idea?
"We have developed an intuition Antonio Calbi. The purpose
was to offer our alumni a special channel for
access to places of excellence Milan theater. And even in
somehow stimulate the production: it is not uncommon that our
boys, after being out of school for lack of
occasions, leaving the construction site projects started or collaborations;
but it is important that you immediately put to the test, which
exploit the contacts and the newly acquired knowledge. But
evidence of the other side of the coin: the responsibility of a
project of their own. So we've asked you
companies or associations legally constituted and that the projects
forecast for a new theater. Interview with Marisa Villa
was deposited, so it happened that some companies may already
any, you are formalized for this occasion. And
hope that bodes well. "
So in the contract was not put any constraints on the text. Yet all six
projects selected have original dramas. A case?
"Like you said, we did not have posed any kind of constraint,
been decided by the Commission in this regard. I do not think there
preconceptions were from this point of view: the fact is
was the most interesting projects were the original ones. "
this will mean something.
"Certainly we have found common trends. They
original dramas predominated, with works that privileged the
text: little scenery, low technology, few side effects. This, in
a sense, is contrasted with some
experiments years ago. Then maybe the guys have realized that
this band represents a chance to stage
something that normally would not have agreed to a theater
black box: they have pulled out their more complex projects, in
somewhat less 'marketable'. "
there been any particular criterion for selection?
"The first step was, so to speak, of a more technical: it is
checked for strict adherence to the terms of the notice. Then the choice is
occurred on artistic criteria alone, and in this sense,
we asked the committee to give too much explanation.
The What's interesting is that each theater has chosen the 'right'
show: that is, who would then stayed. "
A quick reading of the program jumps to the eye a strange
distribution of traditional professional roles. Ideas that bring more than one
signature on various projects involving up to eleven people,
collective dramas, names that come back with different titles.
"I think this is a result of the formation of our School.
During the year, all students are accustomed to living with
colleagues in other courses: playwrights with directors and organizers,
choreographers with dancers and actors. They are used to address each
to others and work on the field together. "
And how does this dramatic production?
"Our playwrights do not write on the table, alone.
are used to working on the scene, collecting material
watching the actors, to get change from them. In particular -
almost alone here - the choreographers work closely with
playwrights: successful experiments in dance theater were born
by the possibility of these collaborations. "
Budgets initiative?
"Excellent, exceeded our expectations. The City of Milan is
was very present and gave us a really big support. Then
have built very good relations between the host and theaters
guys ... Who knows, maybe someone will see them in the next
billboards. The public is not - although, I must
say, an audience mostly of insiders: directors,
organizers, journalists, who were seeking to glimpse
some promising talent. "
In short, an experience to be repeated?
"Sure. Maybe expanding the collaboration between the theaters. "
(from No. 8 "trick - Prospects Theatre" , October-December 2008, Pontremoli Editore, Milan. Published by kind granting of writing.)
