“The first week of reruns has just passed: everyone sold out. We are happy and we are also heartened by the many compliments from the public and professionals.”
This was said by Giovanni Anfuso who in 2018, called by the producers of Buongiorno Sicilia, made his debut in the Gole dell’Alcantara with what would become the most seen outdoor theatrical work in Sicily in recent years and who, from 21 July, resumed the performances.
“The show is growing a lot – added the director, also author of the dramaturgy – and the reception for the new Dante, so emotional and exciting, is exciting, but also for the new actors who play Ulysses and Farinata. I then find the new choreographies full of suggestions and emotions: I believe that this Hell speak to the deepest heart of each of us.”
An opinion shared by Matteo Licari, theater critic who spoke of “a Dante movementist”, who passionately participated with his soul also in the acting, which truly seemed to come from the heart of the Poet”.
“An extra emotion – he underlined – which adds to the environmental background and the school reminiscences that each of us repeated together with the Poet”.
And the new Dante, Luigi Nicotra, said he was “very surprised by the spectators’ reaction to this new version of theHellwith a more empathetic Dante: it reflects a new audience that appreciates this emotion from the Poet and which also moves us actors very much.”
Ivan Giambirtone, the new Ulysses, was also excited, “to whom Dante puts wonderful words into the mouth: You were not made to live like brutes but to follow virtue and knowledge”.
“A phrase – he stated – is very important today: I am honored to be able to play Ulysses, a character who goes beyond limits, who tries to discover both the world and himself”.
In each performance, the actors were applauded for a long time by the audience. In addition to the aforementioned Luigi Nicotra and Ivan Giambirtone, Liliana Randi (tourist), Davide Sbrogiò (Count Ugolino), Salvo Piro (Virgil), Giovanna Mangiù (Francesca), William Caruso (Farinata), Federico Fiorenza (Caronte), Davide Pandolfo (Ciacco) and Peter Passalacqua (Paolo, Diomede and archbishop Ruggeri). And with them the damned: Chiara Di Giovanni, Giulia De Marzi, Alessia Linguaglossa, Marta Marino, Gaia Palmeri, Lucio Rapisarda, Francesco Rotatore, Emiliano Sgroi, Gloria Trischitta and Federica Zuccarello. Everyone danced to the music of Nello Toscano following the new choreographies of Fia Distefano. It should be added that the costumes are by Riccardo Cappello, the scenic elements by Silver Ruggeri and the lights by Davide La Colla. Also worth mentioning are the assistant directors: Micaela De Grandi, Valentina Ferrante, Davide Pandolfo and Lucia Rotondo.
Regarding the comments on the show, the tourist entrepreneur Attilio Cappellani stated how “this Hell which is already in the first week sold outshows how much the shows site specific may be important from a tourist and attractive point of view, therefore a splendid initiative and congratulations to those who carry it forward, for Culture and above all for the Territory”.
And for Filippo Romeo, regional deputy secretary of Assostampa Sicilia, “this theatrical work is the demonstration that from public-private synergy, with the collaboration of the institutions, it is possible to obtain results that work”.
“We journalists – he concluded – have the task of describing the Sicily that works, the Sicily that produces, the Sicily that brings tourists to visit places in an unusual context, a natural stage that attracts many people”.
The producers of Buongiorno Sicilia finally reminded that it is possible to purchase online tickets for the show on the Boxoffice Sicilia circuit, by connecting to the website at https://www.boxol.it/next/it/boxofficesicilia/events/522207/eventi-inferno-di-dante.
To then discover the behind the scenes from the performanceyou can follow the social profiles (https://www.facebook.com/alkantia/ – https://www.instagram.com/alkantia_/) created in partnership with the communication agency Industria01.