“Parole Nuove”, on stage at the Periferico, the 2015 season is beginning

The Periferico Theatre’s 2015 season is entitled “Parole Nuove”. It is a suitable name for a series of plays that present new drama. The stars on the stage of the little theatre in Cassano Valcuvia will include writers, actors and directors who describe the world in a new and contemporary style.

Now in its sixth year, the theatre in Cassano Valcuvia presents another season of quality plays and research, as the theatre’s artistic director, Dario Villa, explained, during the presentation press conference, this morning, at Villa Recalcati. There are twenty dates in the season, and special attention is being given to children.

The season begins on Saturday, 17 January, at 9 pm, with Vincenzo Rabito’s Terramatta, performed by the Teatro del Buratto. The play is the autobiography of a semi-literate, Sicilian labourer, which was written between 1968 and 1975. The following day, for the little ones, there is Le letture volanti, performed by the company Baba Yaga, the story of a little girl who could not read, and of the "little woman" who teaches her how to "sniff out" the words.

These two events start the season off, and already give an idea of what is to follow. On stage, works that deal with social issues will alternate with the world of teenagers and children, for example, but also the accounts of true stories.

"We, the council, have been working with the Periferico Theatre for several years now, and we’re very pleased with the results,” explained Marco Magrini, the Mayor of Cassano Valcuvia. “It’s an organisation that has grown a lot over the years and has become established locally. What I’m referring to are the courses (which today have more than sixty participants), and the importance of the messages that the theatre transmits or is able to tell.”

The second event in the season is Quando partirono cominciò a nevicare (When they left it began to snow), a play about the battle on Mount San Martino, in 1943, which based on research by the Periferico Theatre.

"We collected the testimonies of those who lived at that time, their memories, their emotions, and the play was created from that,” explained Paola Manfredi, the director and author of the play. “It’s a reflection on the experience of the people of Cassano Valcuvia, who, in the days of the battle, were shut up in the parish church for four days." This play is returning to the stage, with full force, and, like others created by the Periferico Theatre, talks about real life. Other works include Mombello, voci da dentro il manicomio (Mombello, voices from inside the mental hospital), which, after its performance last year, in the old Cittiglio Hospital, will be performed in the old psychiatric hospitals in Italy.

It is its constant research has brought the Periferico Theatre renown in Valcuvia, and beyond. The choice of quality plays that deal with current issues, with simple, attractive staging, make it an important venue for the entire province. "The Theatre’s ability to become well-established in the area in which they live, but also in a larger network, is striking," Varese Province’s Director of Culture, Marina Rosignoli, explained.

And so, to the start of a new season, with many names from Italian theatre and several previews, including Boccaperta (Openmouth) and Mai Nate (Never Born), new Periferico Theatre productions that explore the world of teenagers. Between these, there will be plays for children, and plays like U Parrinu. La mia storia con Padre Pini Puglisi ucciso dalla mafia (U Parrinu. My story with Father Pini Puglisi, who was killed by the Mafia), by Christian Di Domenico, Sequestro all’italiana (Abduction Italian-style) by Michele Santeramo, and many others. In the spring, there is also scheduled Archaeo, natura e arte tra boschi e sentieri (Archaeo, nature and art in the woods and along the paths), which will be performed around Valcuvia, but this will need an article dedicated to it.

Click here to see the dates in the 2015 season