Arlecchino nel futuro | Teatro Arena del Sole

From 18 to 23 November, at Teatro Arena del Sole, in the Thierry Salmon Hall, the play Arlecchino nel futuro will be on stage: Northern Italy, a century from now. Humanity has not gone extinct, there was no nuclear war, and no asteroid has struck the Earth. However, the planet has become too hot, and humankind is now preparing to migrate to the Moon, in search of a better life.

Using the language of farce typical of Commedia dell’Arte, the duo of director, playwright, and educator Mariano Dammacco and actress Serena Balivo present a show starring Arlecchino, the most iconic mask of the tradition, grappling with humans, androids, and spaceships. In a language blending Italian with a “lightened” Venetian dialect, the story begins with Arlecchino’s futile attempts to come up with a trick to reach the Moon.

However, he has a criminal record, so he decides to keep conning people by pretending to be an android. How will it all end?
A special tribute to Commedia dell’Arte that invites us to look at our present from a new angle and reflect on the kind of future we want to build.

Concept, dramaturgy, and direction: Mariano Dammacco
With: Serena Balivo and Mariachiara Falcone
Scenes: Mariano Dammacco and Gioacchino Gramolini
Masks created by: Renzo Sindoca and Leonardo Gasparri
Dramaturgical collaboration: Gerardo Guccini
Original music: Marcello Gori
Scenery built in the ERT Stagecraft Workshop
Workshop supervisor and head builder: Gioacchino Gramolini
Set constructors: Tiziano Barone, Sergio Puzzo, Veronica Sbrancia, Leandro Spadola
Set decorators: Benedetta Monetti with Alice Di Stefano, Bianca Passanti, Martina Perrone
Technical director: Massimo Gianaroli
Electrician: Sergio Taddei
Wardrobe and costume supervisor: Eleonora Terzi

Produced by Emilia Romagna Teatro ERT / National Theatre

Photo by Matilde Piazzi