Corteo, which means “cortege” in Italian, is a joyous procession, a festive parade imagined by a clown. The show brings together the passion of the actor with the grace and power of the acrobat to plunge the audience into a theatrical world of fun, comedy and spontaneity situated in a mysterious space between heaven and earth.

The clown pictures his own funeral taking place in a carnival atmosphere, watched over by quietly caring angels. Juxtaposing the large with the small, the ridiculous with the tragic and the magic of perfection with the charm of imperfection, the show highlights the strength and fragility of the clown, as well as his wisdom and kindness, to illustrate the portion of humanity that is within each of us. The music, by turns lyrical and playful, carries Corteo through a timeless celebration in which illusion teases reality.

CALENDAR

“I believe that to picture one’s own funeral, I mean, trying to imagine it, filled with guests, a brass band leading the procession, and with all the friends, all the lovers and parents, and also the enemies, is a very healthy thing. Dreaming of being remembered, and being certain of having left traces brings an appropriate hint of nostalgia to life.

In this production, a clown envisions his own funeral. He pictures it with many people crying, music slowly going crazy, and receives a series of flamboyant visits from people and images of his past life. The life he lived, and the life he invented for himself.

I dedicated this dream to the angels, who come and visit me at night. To the world of clowns, to which I belong, to the Cathedral of Chartres, which after my mother’s womb, is the second place where I was nurtured. To the pictures that my parents stole from reality, and which I put into movement, to the circuses and to their artists.

What I meant to bring forth under the big top is theatre and its peculiar perspective made of overlapping images. I thus asked the acrobats to think as actors would, and to be beautiful and honest, just as beautiful love stories are. I was lucky enough to be surrounded by brilliant creators, with whom I immersed in a common world and a bonding adventure, receiving the full support of a production crew who allowed us to carry on with our dream. I also kept close to the friends from my troupe, Teatro Sunil, with whom I have been seeking beauty and honesty on stage for more than twenty years.

To make one’s own funeral does feel good. For a moment, one feels necessary and motivated to keep going on this journey, which is in fact but a slow return home.” Daniele Finzi Pasca