presentation XVIII edizione
The theme of INCANTI 2011 edition is Figure Theatre and History. The relationship between Puppetry and History has been the subject of a three-year project culminated this year in coincidence with the unification of Italy celebrations. Religion, war, civil strife, political arguments have been directly or indirectly focused in the performances of the festival programs in the last three years. Shadows, objects, string and glove puppets have been called upon to "speak" about history -the one of everyday's life and that written with a capital H, the most remote in time and the one of biting current events- and they did it in a meaningful way, each time leaving an indelible mark.
The main surprise of this year comes from the USA, a historical group known for its ability to bear on the present, Bread and Puppet Theatre's last show on the soldier Manning -accused of passing confidential information of U.S. Government to Wikileaks and kept in solitary confinement for months- will be performed at the Teatro Carignano in Turin, debut in Italy. Peter Schumann, founder of Bread and Puppet in the 60s, will participate in an open meeting on the relationship between History and Theater along with other figures of international theatre.
Not only the U.S.A. but "the Americas" are foremost in this year's edition, with teams also from Cuba and Canada. From Cuba a piece of musical history, Teatro de las Estaciones presents "Por el monte carulé" a performance dedicated to "Bola de Nieve", aka Ignazio Villa, composer, pianist and singer, probably one of the most brilliant musicians of the Caribbean island and genuine icon of Cuban peculiarities. Les Sages Fous from Canada bring a breath of madness in their " Cirque Orphelin."
Since 2008 INCANTI is also engaged in production and promotion. On the occasion of "Italy 150" artistic direction has asked four young artists to narrate the Italian Risorgimento in their own way and with their masks, Pulcinella, Gianduja and other puppets, Thus a Popular Theatre Project was born and will accompany each day of this year 's edition. In theme with the celebrations of the unification of Italy, Incanti opens with the show "Locomotive 1861" of the company Cà luogo d'arte.
Furthermore the Production Incanti Project PIP 2011 will have as guest director Giulio Molnar who will work with a group of actresses on a hot topic: "Barricades". The Shadow Theatre workshop at the Castello di Rivoli Museum of Contemporary Art will be led by Paulo Ferreira's Belgian Company Clair de Lune.
A last detail of INCANTI 2011: in addition to the spaces of Teatro Stabile di Torino and Casa del Teatro, the festival this year will be hosted in places where Theatre is not usual. The idea is bringing Figure Theatre into historic venues in order to trigger off a spark from combination of place and performance, which is one of the wonderful variants of Theatre since ever. Thus this year there will be Incanti also at the Regional Museum of Natural Sciences and the Royal Palace.
Controluce Teatro d'Ombre
Artistic direction Program 2011 Institutional presentation
