Lamezia, theater courses at the Polo Tecnologico Carlo Rambaldi: Frankenstein and Henry IV on stage

Lamezia Terme – The two courses relating to the respective theater modules within the Carlo Rambaldi Technological Center of Lamezia Terme, relating to the project “The school of educational success”, financed with funds relating to the PNRR-Mission 4: Education and research. The two courses were taught by GianLorenzo Franzì as an external expert, among other things critical collaborator of RaiCultura, director of the Lamezia International Film Fest and member of various sector unions (SNCCI, SNGCI), as well as of the jury of the Nastri d’Argento: and they were aimed both at young of the same Technological Pole, and to those of the lower secondary school of the Ardito Institute of Lamezia, directed by Margherita Primavera.

Franzì, with the support and collaboration of DS Anna Spring and Professor Stella De Gori as internal tutor, immediately intended to propose paths to the children that were truly in accordance with the mission of the project itself, that is, fighting educational poverty and school dropout, probably two of the greatest enemies /obstacles of today’s educational institution; and she did so by proposing the study of two works that presented various difficulties but also great potential and enormous suggestions, namely theHenry IV (1921) by Luigi Pirandello and a reduction of Frankenstein – The Modern Prometheus (of 1816) by Mary Shelley.

Two very modern works, beyond their chronological age; two works that look closely at the theme of inclusion – a topic that is hot today, for schools and beyond -, but also two works that have a particularly modern language, in conception and narration. For FrankensteinFranzì chose the translation and theatrical adaptation by Paolo Ascagni: adaptation that recovers the original epistolary packaging of Shelley’s novel but returns it through a dialogue situation between Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein, with a final incursion by the Creature. For theHenry IVhowever, one of Pirandello’s most famous works, we opted for the original draft, deciding however to adapt it to the students/actors by staging only the First Act and a very small part of the beginning of the Second as well as the ending, with a interlude of pure metatheatre in line with the original work.

“The result – they comment in a note – was amazing: Sofia, Sara, Francesca, Michelle, Ascanio, Diletta, Claudia, Gabriella, Annamaria, Lavinia, Ajar, Erica, Fabiana, everyone followed the courses with true and real enthusiasm, putting themselves to the test both from a physical and emotional point of view – which is, moreover, inherent in the very concept of theater -, first through simple readings of the texts, then with the choice of characters, then with a slow memory of the text and finally with a real theatrical staging, at the theater of the Einaudi Institute which kindly provided the appropriate spaces for the children. The outcome, on 17 March, was exciting and emotionally engaging: performed one in a row ‘other, Frankenstein and Henry IV were relived through the students with sometimes even surprising results: and this without taking into account that within the two groups there were also students with disabilities, who completely and rightly disappeared, absorbed in a work that highlighted how much the children can still become passionate about art today by immersing themselves completely in it, if followed with the same passion that is required of them”.