Shakespeare and the Marionettes

Conference/performance by Eugenio Monti Colla and Piero Corbella

The theatre of figure at large and the Company Carlo Colla & Sons in a special way have always paid great attention to the Shakespearian dramas, which never fail to fascinate the audience with the emotions they stir: the fight for power, obsessive jealousy, tragic contrasted love, existential doubts are all bound to impress and reveal the sensitive nuances of the poetic texts and the complexity of their rendition, enhanced by the technical stage innovations introduced in the romantic period.

During the performance, Eugenio Monti Colla and Piero Corbella will guide the spectators to the discovery of this particular relationship, through excerpts acted by short-string-marionettes or through videos. They have all been in the repertoire of the Company Carlo Colla & Sons for two centuries. On this special occasion, the dramas contributing to the Shakespearean celebration will be Othello, Julius Caesar, Macbeth and The Tempest — a version translated and performed by Eduardo De Filippo which opened the theatre section at the Venice Biennale in 1985.

The Marionettes that, during the whole 19th century, have been representing the MASS MEDIA of the period, has become, nowadays, one of the most interesting instruments to broadcast, all over the world, not the news (like in the past) but all the Italian Culture. The language of the marionette is simple, it arrives directly to the heart and to the soul of the people, without any distinction of instruction, culture or age. The marionettes represent, by way of metaphors, the human behavior and its sentiments, today as in the past. That’s why the marionettes are appreciated everywhere and, especially, they are understood by everyone.

Carlo Colla & Sons Marionette Company is one of the most recognized puppet theaters in the world, performing nationally and internationally for audiences of all ages. Based in Milan, the company has toured five continents since 1980, participating in prestigious arts festivals in Edinburgh, Paris, Berlin, Sydney, Melbourne, Charleston and Mexico City, among others.