170 citizens, children and adolescents; 3 actors, 7 musicians and a young rapper from Siponto for a total of 180 people on stage; 5 comprehensive schools and 1 high school, 8 activated theater workshops, 8 workshop guides, 5 technicians, 2 sold-outs and an added replica. These are the numbers of “Peace – from Aristophanes”, the community production of Workshop of the Apocrypha presented yesterday in the Sala delle Vetrate of the Municipality of Manfredonia.
“Peace“, freely based on Aristophanes’ comedy, is one of the most anticipated events of “future”, the prose season of the “Lucio Dalla” Municipal Theater. In addition to the two performances already announced, scheduled Saturday 20 And Sunday 21st April, the large number of requests prompted the Apocrypha to add a third date scheduled for Monday 22 April at 9.00 pm.
The project, a true exercise of citizenship and a training ground for democracy for Peace, is supported by the Municipality of Manfredonia, the Teatro Pubblico Pugliese and the social enterprise “Con i bambini”.
«The Municipality of Manfredonia strongly wanted this show because “Pace” is not simply one of the many artistic or theatrical proposals of the season, but it is a real community process, a way of active involvement of the city. The participation of so many children and adolescents is a very important added value that we will continue to support and encourage for other projects as well” the words of Maria Sipontina Ciuffredamanager of the culture sector of the City of Manfredonia, who spoke on behalf of the prefectural commissioners of the Municipality.
The show, which sees a large chorus of citizens on stage for a collective rite of widespread theatricality where adolescents and children – alongside musicians and professional actors – become living theatre, is among the most innovative proposals on the contemporary Apulian scene, as reiterated the president of the Teatro Pubblico Pugliese, Paul Pontius. «Personally, I am very happy to present this very important show from the Bottega degli Apocrifi. This production of theirs summarizes the meaning and reason of their inhabiting this city and this theatre. The profound meaning of the work of “Pace” contains almost all the motivations of their activity and their meetings: with the kids, with the city, with society, with politics and with all those people who want to get involved with a pinch of naivety and madness. The Apocrypha, for twenty years, have never lost that bit of naivety, that strength that makes you identify the moment in which it is possible to change the course of history. Here, in Manfredonia, the Apocrypha changed the course of the city and managed to make many spectators and young people happy. I sincerely believe that it is among the most significant realities to always look at when we talk about cultural policies, community and citizen involvement.”
The comedy of Aristophanes, with the rewriting of Stefania Marrone And Cosimo Severo, calls into question an ancient text which, as theater does when it is alive, generates questions, sows doubts, insinuates unsuspected hopes, instigates participation. «This show marks a small boundary between a purely artistic work and a work that you never know when and how it will end, considering that the protagonists are non-actors, that is, simple citizens who bring out their theatricality in a spontaneous way. As Apocrypha we believe that our job is to never treat anyone like a puppet. We need to push children and adolescents towards an idea of coherence: which is innate, but in the time in which we live it is obscured by a prevailing individuality. “Peace”, precisely for this reason, is a useful attempt to understand that a choir, with its strong action, responds better to the urgencies of our time than the solitary perimeter of one’s ego. To reach this awareness you need a lot of listening, time and freedom. The show that will be staged will not be a simple theatrical performance, but the final moment of a process, the highest and most intense moment of sharing and commonality.” the words of Cosimo Severodirector of the Apocrypha.
At the presentation of “Peace“, the school directors intervened to testify to the processes activated with theater workshops in schools Franco Di Palma (IC Ungaretti/Mother Teresa of Calcutta), Elisa Catta (IC Perotto/Orsini), Irene Sasso (Notarangelo/Rosati Institute of Foggia), Miriam Totaro (IC Don Milani Uno + Maiorano), Lara Vinciguerra And Anna Taronna (Vicar IC Giordani/De Sanctis) e Raffaella Armillotta (IC Croce/Mozzillo).
Beyond the first meeting with the press and the city to present the project, “Peace” will have two further moments of dialogue and discussion scheduled for Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st at the San Francesco da Paola Church. After the shows, the Workshop of the Apocrypha will be the protagonist of “Seasonal artists”, the series of conversations and meetings with Dalla’s actors and directors. Moderated by the journalist Happy Glitteringthe artists will dialogue with Alessandro Toppicritic and journalist, editor-in-chief of “The Moth” and collaborator of “The Naples Republic” (Saturday 20 April) and with Giuseppe Antelmo, theater moderator of the Spectator’s House (Sunday 21 April).
Tickets for the repeat performance on Monday 22 April, still available, cost 12 euros (first sector auditorium), 10 euros (second sector auditorium), 6 euros (gallery).
For information: Bottega degli Apocrifi – “Lucio Dalla” Municipal Theater, Via della Croce – Manfredonia, 0884.532829 – 335.244842 – [email protected].
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