Compagnia della Fortezza Celebrates 30 Years with Beatitudo in Volterra Prison

Founded in 1988 by playwright and director Armando Punzo, the Compagnia della Fortezza is one of Italy's first prison theatre projects, based in the courtyard of Volterra prison. It was established with the collaboration of the association Carte Blanche. Unlike typical rehabilitation activities, the company functions as a professional theatre troupe, producing art and beauty, experimenting with acting techniques, and staging roughly one show per year to critical and public acclaim. For its 30th anniversary, the company premiered Beatitudo, a homage to Jorge Luis Borges that creates an alternate dimension where imagination and spirit prevail over real-life burdens. The performance features a water mirror flooding the prison courtyard, where actors swim and perform rituals that blur the line between theatre and life. Photographer Simone Stanislai captured images of the show and anniversary events.