Figuraazione

After three years of experience at the school of theatre expression Silence studio in Lovere where many European research theatre teachers were engaged, several students decided to continue in theatre practice on their own, and so in 1985 they formed Association Silence Teatro (Theatre Without Words or Theatre of Silence). At present the ensemble has in its repertoire two performances through which it studies the possibility of application of new forms of expression aimed at connecting the environment and the theatre in order to advertise a creative dialogue between spaces of town and artistic projects.

Figuraazione is a touring performance accompanied by installation of sculptures in various towns. It came out from the cooperation with the artistic group Way Art Studio making the sculptures (representing situations of everyday life).

The original title of the performance consisting of two words perfectly expresses the unity of character and story as presented by a “rural” ensemble from the surroundings of Bergamo, reviewed by European newspapers as follows:

“The topic of the performance is life of the past in the countryside and work activities of agricultural tradition. Flax is carded and span. Fishermen are trawling, blacksmiths are hammering anvil. Newly-weds are coming out of the church through the crowd of wedding guests throwing at them handfuls of rice. Figuraazione is a high quality theatre.”

Raymonde Temkine (Europe)

“From head to foot in white piaster make-up they resemble white sculptures, the Segal nephews. Dumb comedians writing a saga of work activities and life in the countryside.”

Odile Quirot (Le Monde)

“Pictures of Silence tell a story. A story of our memory. Experienced and dreamt­up. They speak about a simple rough existence: crafts of the ancestors and work in the fields. Set in the old parts of the town they woke up from the depth of oblivion. Both at night and day. They use the language of poets, they paint in colours of stone and clay. They have got the charm of yellowed pictures from an old album you leaf through. They have got the tenderness of a fore father that directs the steps of a child reminding him of his life at the end of his siesta.”

C. Gilbert (Sud Ouest)

“Silence Teatro brought along a memory of the times almost lost, in the rhythms of verse by Cesare Pavese and scenes of everyday life at the beginning of the century.”

(L'Humanité)

Festival participation: Bergamo, Lovere, Périgueux, Annecy, Morains en Montagne, Piacenza, Cardiff, Rochefort.

director: Luigi Pezzotti