project inspired from “L’amica geniale” by Elena Ferrante (E/O)
with Chiara Lagani and Fiorenza Menni
ideation Luigi De Angelis, Chiara Lagani and Fiorenza Menni
dramaturgy Chiara Lagani
direction and sound project Luigi De Angelis
sound Vincenzo Scorza
costumes Midinette
production E/Fanny & Alexander
coproduction Ateliersi
organization and promotion Ilenia Carrone and Tihana Maravic
administration Stefano Toma and Elisa Marchese
Thank to Andrea Argentieri, Enrico Fedrigoli, Francesca Pizzo, Giorgia Sanguineto and Sofia Di Leva
Texts of the first part: exctract from “My brilliant friend” by Elena Ferrante
Texts of the second part: by Chiara Lagani (freely ispired by Lyman Frank Baum, Toti Scialoja, Wislawa Szymborska)
Running time 1 h
The project is intended to be an in-depth exploration throughout “My brilliant friend”, Elena Ferrante’s tetralogy dedicated to the story of two women’s friendship, following their individual growth step by step, as well as their way of influencing each other, their feelings, the conditions of distance and proximity created during their decades-long relationship.
This performing step of the project is part of a two-year dramaturgical and acting research that will involve the two companies in a series of actions (workshops, readings, performances…) that will lead to the final version of the show which is planned for the season 2017/18.
1 My Brilliant Friend, an interpretation
In the first novel of the tetralogy “My Brilliant Friend” by the Italian writer Elena Ferrante, two young girls challenge each other to throw their dolls in a dark basement. When the girls look for them, the dolls are not there anymore. The protagonists believe that Don Achille, their childhood’s monster, has stolen the dolls. Therefore, the brave girls decide to claim them. In the play, the two actresses bring Elena Ferrante’s novel to life through their body movements, leaving a lasting mark.
2 The story of two dolls, an animated graphic novel
Now, on the stage, we can only see two dolls. Are they the lost dolls? In the dark and symbolic space where they have been abandoned, the figures move and tell their story silently. What did happen in the unwritten and mysterious background of the novel? The dolls are not able to answer the old questions or ask new ones.
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