Short Theatre 2017 Explores Power and Potency in Rome

The Short Theatre festival in Rome, directed by Fabrizio Arcuri, concluded its twelfth edition titled "Lo stato interiore" (The Inner State), focusing on the dual meanings of "power" as dominance and as potential. The festival featured performances that challenged hegemonic structures and celebrated inner potency. Notable works included Motus's "Über Raffiche (nude expanded version)," a remake of Jean Genet's "Splendid's" with an all-female cast, set in a hotel room and later a wall-less space, addressing coercive control over bodies and gender. Fanny & Alexander's "Discorso Grigio" deconstructed political rhetoric through vocal mimicry and physical disruption. The festival also fostered networks through collaborations with Romaeuropa Festival, presenting Rimini Protokoll's installation "Nachlass" at Teatro India, and with online magazine Teatro e Critica for "Anatomia dello spettatore." Other events included presentations of "Visioni, Culture, Iperscene" by Sergio Lo Gatto and Matteo Antonaci, a talk by Hans-Thies Lehmann on his book "Postdramatisches Theater," and the launch of the network "Sciami" directed by Valentina Valentini. A workshop by activist and artist Fannie Sosa titled "Pleasure Is Power" explored anti-colonial strategies for reclaiming pleasure in dance.