Bruce LaBruce presents participatory film-performance 'La Magia dell'Uovo' in Naples
On July 23, 2025, Bruce LaBruce, a queer filmmaker from Canada, unveiled his innovative work 'La Magia dell'Uovo' at Naples' Crypta Neapolitana. This interactive cinematic event invites attendees to navigate the sacred space both physically and symbolically, with the recorded performance later transformed into a film. Directed by LaBruce and penned by Gian Maria Cervo, the narrative follows Roberto Caccioppoli, who embodies a contemporary Pulcinella entangled in a love triangle that challenges notions of desire and identity. The piece draws inspiration from Giuseppe Patroni Griffi's 1963 film 'Il Mare' and incorporates lines by Francesco Berni, resonating with commedia dell'arte and queer themes in Naples. LaBruce also critiques Ursula von der Leyen while contemplating the city's cultural resilience, favoring a more nuanced eroticism.
Key facts
- Bruce LaBruce premiered 'La Magia dell'Uovo' on July 23, 2025, at Crypta Neapolitana in Naples.
- The work is a participatory cinematic performance, not a traditional film; footage will later be edited into a film.
- Text by Gian Maria Cervo, direction by Bruce LaBruce.
- Protagonist Roberto Caccioppoli plays a modern Pulcinella.
- Plot involves a love triangle referencing Giuseppe Patroni Griffi's 1963 film 'Il Mare'.
- Performance includes verses by Francesco Berni and references commedia dell'arte, pagan, erotic, and political Naples.
- Explicit criticism of Ursula von der Leyen and European power is included.
- LaBruce is reading John Horne Burns' 1951 novel 'The Gallery' for inspiration.
Entities
Artists
- Bruce LaBruce
- Gian Maria Cervo
- Roberto Caccioppoli
- Giuseppe Patroni Griffi
- Francesco Berni
- John Horne Burns
Institutions
- Crypta Neapolitana
- Artribune
Locations
- Naples
- Italy
- Southampton
- Crypta Neapolitana
- Montevergine
- Monte di Virgilio
- Monte di Cibele