If you’re on the lookout for local entertainment offering something a little different this weekend you could try a slice of Sicilian puppet theatre.
Presented by the Italian Cultural Institute in Sydney, two shows will be on at Casula Powerhouse this Sunday.
The magical world of France’s Paladins, which is narrated by Mimmo Cuticchio, master in the art of the Teatro dei Pupi Siciliani (Sicilian Puppet Theatre) and of the “cuntu” (oral account), is on show in Australia for the very first time.
Master Mimmo Cuticchio and his theatre company Figli d’Arte Cuticchio will present a series of shows which will take the famed Sicilian Puppets of the Sicilian Puppet Theatre to Canberra and Sydney.
Mimmo Cuticchio is the direct heir of an age-old traditional form of puppet theatre, The Teatro dell’Opera dei pupi siciliani, which finds its roots in the desire for chivalric and literary themes to become part of popular (street) theatre.
The show to be presented on Sunday at Casula Powerhouse, The great duel between Orlando and Rinaldo to conquer Angelica’s heart, is an example of modification of the narrative structure of the “Opra”, born out of the need to adapt the performance to a new audience.
The language of the show is condensed, in order to give more prominence to the staging quality than to a thorough development of the traditional story.
The stage techniques are highly accurate.
The characters themselves have been somehow modified and their identities become recognizable in the course of the action, without having to interrupt the narration with long monologues.
SNAPSHOT:
WHAT: Duello Di Orlando E Rinaldo – The great duel between Orlando and Rinaldo to conquer Angelica’s heart;
WHEN: Sunday 23 October 11am and 5pm;
RATING: For ages 6 and over;
BOX OFFICE: Visit the Casula Powerhouse website here.
