Teatro Potlach

Teatro Potlach is an Italian independent theatre located in Fara Sabina. The theatre consists of a permanent staff actors, technicians and administration, and students connected on a temporary basis

Teatro Potlach started in 1976 by Daniela Regnoli and Pino di Buduo, two Romans who had just studied eight months at the Odin Theatre in Holstebro. They would even create a similar theatre in its own neighbourhood and were joined by Fara Sabina municipality, giving them financial support and rented out space in an old convent to them. Di Buduo served as director and Regnoli was the first theatre actor.

Their first performance was clean juggling in the streets, "Prima Parata di Strada", but eventually they got set up a proper production: "Le DANZE dell'Albero secco."

In 1991 the theatre up "Citta Invisibili" for the first time, a production that has become their brand.

Besides producing and playing performances, Teatro Potlach organises several workshops, both based on their own abilities and their contacts in the theatre world; they include contact with the Indian dance group Milon Mela. Daniela Regnoli organises a program for the local primary school where the children throughout the year to try out different forms of theatre training. Daily trains students for Grotowski - method and also practice with stilts.

Teatro Potlach is heavily inspired by Odin Theatre where the founders were apprenticed, and call themselves teaterlaberatorium. Playing style is strongly Grotowski-inspired.

But, unlike this, they use many more instruments and effects, their playing style is far from the so-called "poor theatre", it can almost be called Baroque. Torches, coloured lights, juggling, music and movie playing on the rear stage wall is typically Potlach, not to mention another of their "brands", white sheets of fabric that used for different purposes.

Another feature of the theatre is the use of various exotic masks and costumes.

Teatro Potlach his most famous production is undoubtedly the spectacular "Citta Invisibili ', based on Italo Calvino 's novel " Invisible Cities. " It converted the urban into a play space, and one can even imagine that since no cities are equal, thus each performance unique, depending on the city it plays in.

“Potlach” is a word used by North-Western American tribes and means exchange or barter. It refers to the great winter gatherings which used to last several days and which celebrated particular festivities with songs, masked dances and banquets, and included many guests.

These celebrations used to end with a massive distribution of gifts to the guests, and often all the donor's goods were given away.

THE TEAM

Pino di Buduo , director and artistic director

Zsofia Gulyas , stage manager

Actors

Alessandro Cavoli

Daniela Regnoli

Stefano Di Buduo

Nathalie Mentha

Daniela Regnoli

Maurizio Stammati

Gaudi Tione Fanelli