Ischia.it english

The dream at Mortella in a midsummer night

Take the work by William Shakespeare, perhaps the most important playwright of whom recurs this year the 400th anniversary after his death. Take La Mortella and its own private garden, designed by Russell Page, and created since 1956 by Susana Walton, the largest one in Italy and perhaps in Europe. Here plays “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in the mysterious charm of a place that at 21:00 of every Friday of July becomes the home of fairies, elves and goblins that wander through the narrow streets and whose shadows extend unhindered between fountains , ponds and a light sea breeze that floods the promontory of Zaro. Think of a particular tour operator like Platypus specialized in school camps, school trips and excursions, made up of young people from different skills and who has studied the way to bring in this Mediterranean and subtropical nursery, for the first time, the English poet’s masterpiece. Think, then, that after two years of trials and projects, today, with the theater company «Artù», in a unique and rewarding synergy, has been realized, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”.

Mix everything, stirred the emotions in turmoil that comes in the transition from the real world to the fantasy one, and you will get a theatrical tour along a path in stages, arranged and organized on two levels, where the maze of narrow paths winding through perfumes and plants very rare. Written by famous William between 1593 and 1595, director Giuseppe Iacono consecrates this work in a setting surrounded by nature. Hiss of water and frogs that repeat a sound track, sometimes far away, others nearby, in a continuous and frequent croak, accompanying the viewer helping him to immerse themselves in a world contaminated by poetry. Myth, fairy tale and everyday life are intertwined, sometimes overlapping, in the night sets and between floral decorations illuminated by a night light. A disturbing traits tell the upcoming wedding of Theseus, Duke of Athens, and Queen Hippolyta of the Amazons, defeat and his war booty.

He reveals the quarrels between oberon and Titania, king and queen of the fairies, probably projections of the Duke and his future wife. He tells of fleeing love, or unrequited, love found and magic potions. «We were able to accomplish the work by Shakespeare at La Mortella Gardens and we are happy. Put together a cultural and prestige center, in which meet the names of Sir William Walton and his wife, Susan, and landscape architect Russell Page, with “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, it seemed like right now a thing normal although quite complicated. We managed, however, to keep the narrative articulations although very complex». Peppe Iacono -that among his dreams think of staging Richard III, also the work of the Anglo-Saxon playwright - in this adaptation has tried to make the story fluent and flawless replacing even the actors clothes. In fact, a curiosity of all, in the original Shakespearean comedy, although the facts were set in Athens, the actors wore dresses of the Elizabethan period. To pay tribute, on the contrary, the first Greek colony in the Mediterranean Sea on the island of Ischia that just finds its match in a tradition that fades in the night of times, in the show at La Mortella, actors wear Greek clothes.

The purpose was “greeking” the human characters of the story in a place that looks spectacular destination suitable to host comedy.
Interpreters, Aaron Insega, Francesca Iacono, Daniele Boccanfuso, Marco Musto, Aurora Cecchi, Giulia Marro, Cenzino Di Meglio, Sara Migliaccio, Roberto Scotto Pagliara, Biagio Buono, Luigi Mennella, Luigi Boccanfuso, Ilaria Procida, Martina Procida- and with assistants Kicca Iaccarino and Laura Di Massa; the costumes of Polvere di Stelle and Flaviana Di Chiara and makeup artist Angela Cacciutto –realize the characters.
They will be the messengers immersed in a game of overlapping nature to talk about the melancholy that envelops the mortals who, after all, are found in his hands a love made of shortages, provisional and inadequacies. A love that transforms them into puppets more than in the protagonists moved by free will. With booking required, to participate to the road show go to the facebook page of La Mortella or that one of the theater company Artù. or by contacting Platypus by calling the number 081990118, from 9 to 13 and from 16 to 20. you will find your entry to exit the world and describe the trip in a midsummer dream.