Valentino Orfeo: The Stone-Throwing Actor Who Remade Italian Avant-Garde Theatre
Born in Naples in 1945, Valentino Orfeo has spent over fifty years questioning the role of theatre in society. After a challenging upbringing, he relocated to Milan at the age of seventeen and made his theatrical debut in 1965 with Compagnia dei Novissimi at Teatro Parioli. In 1967-68, he established Teatro La Fede, which became Rome's inaugural off-theatre venue. His bold production "1, 2, 3 Crac, 3 tempi + 1" was featured at the Avignon Festival in 1969, igniting riots at Rome's Titan Club. In 1971, he founded Teatro Lavoro, presenting 'The Bedbug,' followed by 'Pinocchi-ia' (1972) and 'Ah... Charlot!' (1974). In 1981, he created Teatro dell'Orologio, and his recent piece, 'Memoria dal sottosuolo,' embodies his view of theatre as an essential part of existence.
Key facts
- Valentino Orfeo was born in Naples in 1945.
- He fled to Milan at age 17 and was rejected at the Piccolo Teatro audition.
- His official debut was in 1965 with the Compagnia dei Novissimi at Teatro Parioli.
- In 1967-68 he founded Teatro La Fede, Rome's first off theatre space.
- His show "1, 2, 3 Crac, 3 tempi + 1" was censored in Avignon and later caused riots in Rome in 1969.
- He founded Teatro Lavoro in 1971 with "Sposami per cortesia," based on Mayakovsky's The Bedbug.
- In 1974 he wrote "Ah... Charlot!" with Ubaldo Soddu, praised by critic Angelo Maria Ripellino.
- In 1981 he founded Teatro dell'Orologio, establishing the Sala Orfeo.
- In 1983 the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment promoted the Progetto Speciale for experimental theatre research.
- Teatro dell'Orologio closed in 2017; his last work is "Memoria dal sottosuolo" from Dostoevsky.
Entities
Artists
- Valentino Orfeo
- Sergio Ammirata
- Franco Marchesani
- Piero Panza
- Ennio Flaiano
- Elio Pagliarani
- Alfredo Giuliani
- Toti Scialoja
- Giancarlo Nanni
- Manuela Kustermann
- Carmelo Bene
- Julian Beck
- Ubaldo Soddu
- Angelo Maria Ripellino
- Giorgio Polacco
- Mario Moretti
- Federico Fellini
- Valentina Coccarelli
- Vladimir Mayakovsky
- Fyodor Dostoevsky
- Bertolt Brecht
- Aldo Moro
- Andrea Baracco
- Laura Milani
- Walter Caputi
- Gianni Del Maso
- Luciana Jannace
Institutions
- Gruppo 63
- Compagnia dei Novissimi
- Teatro La Fede
- New Space Re(v)action
- Living Theatre
- Teatro Lavoro
- Teatro dell'Orologio
- Accademia di Belle Arti
- Piccolo Teatro di Milano
- Teatro Parioli
- Titan Club
- Teatro Tordinona
- Teatro San Ferdinando
- Teatro Spazio Uno
- Paese Sera
- L'Espresso
- Festival di Avignone
- Festival de la Mer
- Ministero del Turismo e dello Spettacolo
- Artribune
- Mostra d'Oltremare
- Movimento Studentesco
- Théâtre du Charme
- Teatro Beat 72
Locations
- Naples
- Italy
- Milan
- Rome
- Avignon
- France
- Montpellier
- Testaccio
- Piedigrotta
- Piazza del Popolo
- Piazza del Plebiscito
- Sala Orfeo